Her Faithful Shadow
by Lady Countryrose
Summary: He has been watching her from the shadows. Not realizing that her fiery friend wasn't into her. After Lisanna's return, Lucy was forced into a solo mission, which he ends up following.
1. Chapter 1

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 1

Lucy has been sitting the guild. After seeing Team Natsu leaving her behind with Lisanna at their heals. Each one of them saying that they wanted time with the lost member that they hadn't seen for a quite some time. She wasn't mad about them wanting to spend time with her, she just felt sad because she felt left behind. She also knew that if her mother had happened to come alive. She would probably be leaving her friends behind as well.

Lucy knew that she needed to get up and look for a job soon since her rent nearly did. She wasn't going to tell her team, not wanting to gilt them to help her. So with a sigh, she had gotten upon her feet and made her way towards the job board. She glanced for anything that might pop out. Until she found one that had an award of a silver key. She took the flyer down to where she was able to read it better.

 **Job:** A spirit is terrorizing our town, during the midnight hours.

 **Where:** Just north of Oak Town

 **Who:** Hoping for a Celestial Mage

 **Reward:** 150,000 J and a silver key

Lucy couldn't believe her eyes, a spirit terrorizing a local town that wasn't that far from the guild. If she remembered right, it was where Phantom Lord was once stationed. Meaning the town didn't have their own guild to ask for help. Then again, she never heard a spirit doing something like that before. Even Loke, when he was on Earthland… then again, he did have a lot of girlfriends. She was happy that the money wasn't bad for doing something like this and a bonus of a silver key.

She turned towards the bar and walked over towards Mira with a smile on her face. "I found a job that I can do, Mira."

Causing the white-haired barmaid to smile as well. She then glanced around for a moment. "Oh, I forgot that Team Natsu left Lucy." Mira then glanced down at the flyer. "But this job seems to be calling for you…" She then glanced around the guild for a moment. "Are you sure there isn't anyone that you wouldn't care to come with you? I mean, Oak Town was once Phantom Lord's."

Lucy sighed, "I know you care, Mira." She leaned onto the counter. "But I think it's about time I go solo, at least for the time being."

"What do you mean, Lucy?"

"I mean," she gave Mira a sad smile. "The team is spending time with Lisanna and I get it that they miss her." She waved Mira when she saw that she was about to open her mouth about a protest about something. "I'm not mad at them or your sister, Mira. I just know when I need to step back for a while." She gave her heartwarming smile. "I think it's about time that I learn more about my magic, anyway."

"Well," Mira grabbed the flyer and went to the books below her to check it off. "I can't argue with that kind of logic." She brought the flyer back into Lucy's hand but didn't let go just yet. "But be careful Lucy… Danger seems to find you."

The blonde woman smile, "Hopefully that kind of luck left me when Natsu left me behind." She chuckled softly. "I think he's more of a magnet when it comes to that sort of thing and dragging me with him." She turned away from the bar after having the flyer in her hand. "I'll call if something happens, Mira."

"You better," the white-haired woman called back.

At that very moment, a man was watching the blonde woman. Noticing that she was leaving a job without her team. He knew from what he had heard around the guild that she was always in a middle of trouble. He glanced around at his three friends, who were watching him. They knew that he had been watching her for a while now. He had even packed a bag, encase he found a way to follow her if something came up. It seemed it was his day to do so.

"I'll keep in touch," he spoke with a slight purr in his baritone voice.

Each of his three friends gave a nod. Knowing that there was nothing more to be said. Then he went towards the doors, following the busty blonde from a safe distance. Not wanting her to know that someone was going to keep her safe, no matter what.

' _I guess the love that Natsu had for her, wasn't strong enough against that young Strauss woman. For he left the best woman in the world, behind.'_

He followed Lucy to her apartment, where he stood nearby in the shadows of the alleyway. Knowing that she would be passing shortly to get to the train. After about ten minutes of waiting, he saw her exiting the building to do so with her suitcase. Then followed her towards the station to get her ticket to Oak Town. Which he had also grabbed after she had made some distance from the ticket booth.

They didn't have to wait long since the train was making its way into the station. The two boarded, without Lucy noticing that he was following her. He saw her sit on one of the seats and he took one right behind her, trying to stay as close as he could to her. He had made enough money for that month to do this. Always planning for the time for he was able to follow her. Without having her dragon slayer friend being there to know that he was doing so.

' _Natsu, you've made the most fallible mistake in the world. Leaving behind the Light of Fairy Tail behind.'_ The man glanced out the window, as he shook his head. ' _The most beautiful woman that I've seen, should have been on a pettleshool. Not to be forgotten.'_

Lucy was lost within her own thoughts while waiting for the train to take to the next town. She knew she could have walked, but she made a rule to hardly ever walk alone outside of Magnolia. She never knew where trouble would strike, while she was out on a job. Sure she was going on one alone, but to her, it wasn't the same.

After about ten minutes on the rail, the train stopped at Oak Town. She grabbed her things before getting off. She made her way towards the town, she glanced at the flyer to see where she needed to go and flipped to the back of it. Seeing the address of the mayor's office. With that in mind, she took a deep breath before making her way to the middle of town.

Once she found the town's city hall. She made her way inside, seeing that his office was on the second floor and made her way up. She opened a door that was marked; Mayor Tony H. Wells, on the door and opened it. Where she saw a woman typing away behind her desk, with her glasses hanging off of her nose.

The woman glanced up with a cheery smile on her face. "Hello, how can I help you, deary?"

"Hello, I'm Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail. I'm here to respond to the job that was posted at my guild about a midnight spirit?"

"Oh yes," the woman frown for a moment. "Please wait for her, ma'am." She had gotten up from her seat and knocked on the door before going into the next office. After a few moments she came out, "You're welcome to come in, now."

Lucy gave a smile before passing the woman, making her way to the office before closing the door behind her. What she saw, was something that she had never seen from a mayor before. A man who looked like a billygoat because of his beard that likes to keep. Along with slightly long salt pepper hair. He also seemed to have a worried look on his face, as he slouched in his chair.

She made her way towards the man and then sat in one of the wingback chairs that sat before the mayor's desk. Sitting in her ramrod pose, she seemed to be doing that whenever she faced anyone with a title. When the man looked up to see her, she noticed the pain in his eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Wells. I'm Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail…"

The man smiled as he waved his hand for her to stop. "I know who you are, Lucy," he stated in the most tired of voices that she had ever heard. "Please call me, Tony. I was once a friend of your parents, way back in the day…" His green eyes went out of focus for a moment before seeing her again. "You look like your mother… I can only imagine the sort of men that follow you."

Lucy gave a shy smile, not wanting to give any disrespect towards the man that knew her parents. "Tony, can you please tell me what's been going on and what does the spirit look like?"

The man groaned before he went into his desk and pulled out a folder and gave it to Lucy for her to read. "The spirit looks like a half man, half bird covered in white to light blue flames… He hasn't been attacking anyone, but he has been wandering the area enough to cause some kind of disturbance for the locals." He shook his head. "No one wants to face him because of our past troubles that we had with Phantom Lord. It was enough to want to call a Celestial Mage to see about it."

"I can understand your reasoning Tony, but what else can you tell me?"

The mayor sighed, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Nothing really, except a few who had wandered close enough to him have heard him talk. Saying only a trusted Celestial Mage will be granted a gift." He shook his head. "No one knew what gift he was talking about. I was hoping that you would be the mage that would be taking this job. I almost requested you by name, but didn't know if that was allowed or not."

Lucy smiled at the kind man before her. "If you know anyone in any guild that you know of that could help. You do have a right to ask for them. They can't really turn you down because of it."

"Good to know."

"In the flyer, it said that the spirit is located north of town. Do you know where exactly I might find him?"

Tony smiled softly at the young woman. "There is a waterfall outside of town. I believe about five or so miles." He placed his hand against his beard, petting it as he thought. "He seems to wander around that area, often."

Lucy gave a nod, showing that she understood him. "If that is all sir, I'll be leaving to plan out what needs to be done. Are you sure that he's only around at midnight?"

"Sadly yes," stated the elder man before her. "He's not around during the day and most of the night, except during the midnight hour. I don't know why it is, but that it's always been like that since he showed up a month ago."

Lucy had gotten up upon her feet give the mayor a handshake. "Thank you, Tony. Do you happen to have any local maps of the area that you've talked about? It'll give me an idea on how I should plan things." After getting the maps that from the mayor, she wished a good day before leaving the office.

She gave the woman at the desk a smile and a wave before leaving towards the outer office. When she was out of the city hall, she glanced around to see what she needed to do her job. Lucy knew she needed to set up a hotel room, but hoping that she needed need to. ' _I'm going to have to look for a room and food, so I can be my top notch for what needs to be done.'_

With her mindset in focus, she went off to the local hotel and checked in for the night. From there she put her suitcase away before turning around to find a small cafe to sit down to have an early dinner. After eating a meal of pasta and some garlic bread, along with an Italian soda. Once she was done with her dinner, she decided to go on a walk to the nearest part. Since the time seemed to be around five in the evening.

When she found that she was in the clearing and away from most people. She brought out a silver key and called out one of her spirits. "Hello, Grandpa Crux. Can I ask you to look up a spirit for me?"

"Sure Miss Lucy, how can I help you with today?"

"Grandpa Crux, do you know of a spirit that looks to half man and half bird. Who surrounds himself in white to light blue fire?"

The old cross looking spirit gave her a thoughtful look. "I don't need to look anything up, Miss Lucy. I know what spirit you're talking about. That would be the Phoenix, the healer and a fire welder." He placed a hand on his chin in another thought came to him. "He is part of the rarer Plantam Keys."

Lucy leaned into her sitting position, showing the spirit she was listening. "Is there anything you can tell me about him, please Grandpa Crux?"

"Well," the elder sounding man spoke, as he thought. "Phoenix is a prideful man, he was known to be a great teacher to a few great well-known healers back in the day. The last known person that owned him, was Anna Heartfilia. Your great-great-great-grandmother…" He chuckled softly. "She was a great woman back in the day, the only woman he ever listened to."

Lucy glanced down for a moment. "You never talked about her before," she allowed a small sigh before giving her spirit a smile. "Can you tell me what she did that made him want to listen to Anna?"

"She was very much like you, Miss Lucy," the elder spoke with warmth in his voice. "She was strong-willed, kind-hearted, and put her spirits above her own well-being. Sadly the one time she needed one of them the most. They weren't there to help…" He shook his head. "Phoenix threw his own key into hiding. Putting himself into exile, until he thinks another mage is worthy of his key. I think he may be calling for you."

Lucy smiled with a warmth that her spirits loved to see upon her face. "I sure hope I can help him," she glanced towards the area towards the north. "I hope I can make her proud that I've found one of her lost keys?"

The southern cross chuckled, "Don't worry about your ancestors, Miss Lucy. I know that you're your own person, which makes you a smart loving woman." He saw the small blush on her cheeks. "Don't ever sell yourself short, missy. You've done enough of that from what we spirits can tell. Prove to Phoenix the kind of woman that we know you to be and everything will do fine."

"Thanks, Grandpa Crux."

"Have a good evening, Miss Lucy. I need to head back home…" Then with a sparkle, the spirit was gone.

Lucy glanced around. Seeing that she had time before going to the hotel to take a nap before going off into the forest. She knew it was important and needed her rest to face the spirit at large.


	2. Chapter 2

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 2

The man, who has been watching Lucy Heartfilia. He had listened into the conversation with her cross looking spirit. He learned a lot more about Lucy than he had before. Not realizing that her magic came from a long line of her lineage. Making her the rarest of Celestial Mages of Earthland to date. He wanted her, he couldn't explain it, but he wanted her in his life.

He had been standing within the shadows, since the moment that she came to the guild. During the moment of Fantasia, he learned from his friend's own words on how she beat the Seith Mage. How she worked alongside with an old guildmate of Loke. Who became spirit to protect her life after she had saved him. He had even heard through the grapevine that she was in good standing with the Spirit King. An honor that not many, not even in history can say that they've met.

He even heard about the cross spirit talking about the spirit that Lucy would be facing that night. He had to think about what he heard and what he had read some time ago. Phoenix, being part of the strongest known keys. The legendary Plantam Keys. A series of keys known as the next strongest of the collection. Which means, they wouldn't be out in the market to buy. So she would have to go hunting for them, meaning she may be the next Celestial Goddess Mage. Only a title that would be worthy for those mages with the outstanding collection of keys.

"Lucy," he whispered as he followed her back to the hotel. "What does your future hold? Knowing that you're on your way to claiming with your first, Plantam Key." Once back at the hotel, he was pleased to know that he was staying across the hall from her. It would make it easier on him, for keeping an eye on her. Since he knew that she would be needing to be in the forest before midnight. He would have to be awake around ten at night. Hoping to be to follow her.

After some hours of rest, Lucy woke up and changed into a pair of jeans, along sleeved shirt, and a dark hoodie. As well as her boots. She grabbed her handbag and left the hotel room behind her. She made sure that her bet had her keys and whip before leaving her room. She then walked out the front door of the hotel, not realizing that someone was following her.

Lucy headed north, knowing that it was the direction she needed to go. She had glanced at the map before going to bed and right after she had gotten up. Keeping her path that she needed to go, fresh in her mind. After a while of walking, she found her way to the waterfall about ten minutes before midnight. She glanced around to see where she would believe the spirit may show up.

She glanced found a place next to the water's edge, where she could sit on a large rock. Where she believed she would be able to look around. Also, hoping that the spirit would see her too. As she waited, it caused her to realize how alone she felt.

"I miss my friends," she spoke to the air around her. A couple of tears left her eyes, allowing her to let her emotions go for the moment. A dry laugh had left her lips, "But I'm enjoying the quiet at least. I wouldn't be able to come up with a plan with Team Natsu here…"

She placed her hand upon one of her silver keys and found that it nearly midnight. Causing her to glance around even more. "Phoenix should be here soon."

"It pleases me that you know my name," stated a deep voice coming behind her. Causing Lucy to jump off of the rock and face the man that spoke. "Are you a worthy Celestial Mage?"

"I depend on your interpretation of worthy, Phoenix." She took a moment to take a glance at the spirit before her. The mayor was correct in describing him as half man and half bird. His feathers/hair was a mix of blue and white, like his flame that she was told about. She believed that he was nearly seven feet tall, broad-shouldered man, bare-chested. From the nose up, he is bird in shape and feathers. Eyes looking hawkish. His shoulders and arms were a mix of feathers and skin, showing off his built muscles. He wore blue and white looking camo pants with combat boots on his feet.

The deep voice of the spirit brought Lucy back to his face. "Your aura states that you've faced many challenges in your young life." His ice blue eyes shined with amusement, causing Lucy to calm down her racing heart. "Who are you, young lady?"

"Lucy Heartfilia…"

The spirit gasped, as he gave her a once over. "Anna Heartfilia's descendant," he asked with a slight wonder in his voice. "Tell me, what year is this?"

"X791."

"Four hundred years," the birdman gasped in wonder in his voice. He then glanced towards Lucy with what looked like a sharp looking eye. "Do all the women in your family look the same? I mean, you all have the same long golden blonde hair, but a different shade of brown eyes."

Lucy shrugged, "I wouldn't know, to be honest. I just know that I like my mother, Layla Heartfilia." She glanced down with a bit of sorrow in her voice. "She was a Celestial Mage as well. One of the very best from what I've heard."

The spirit grumbled softly, but still loud enough for Lucy and her shadow to hear. "Maybe you're the one that I'm willing to gift you…"

This caused the young blonde woman to glance up. "What gift are you talking about?"

"My key," Phoenix spoke with a huff in his voice. "Only those with a pure of heart may have my key." His eyes darken for a moment. "If you do manage to get my key, I'll be able to heal you and whoever you wish. Even when you don't have the magic to hold me to do so."

' _That would be convenient. I wouldn't have to buy Wendy…'_ Lucy gave a small smile towards the spirit before her. "How do I prove myself to you, Phoenix? I've always treated others as friends and even family." Her eyes shine from all the adventures that she had gone with them. "Sure I make mistakes because I'm always thinking on my feet because of the people I travel with. But it's worth the fun and new knowledge of understanding."

"Call out one of your spirits for me," stated the birdman before her. "If you have him, I would like to talk with Leo the Lion."

Lucy sighed by waved a hand over Leo's key before her faithful spirit popped out with a worried look on his face. He glanced at Phoenix with heat in his eyes but didn't act on it. He glanced to Lucy with a raised eyebrow, "How can I help you, princess?"

"Princess," asked Phoenix with unamused tone in his voice.

"You're not helping Loke," she glanced towards the spirit that requested for the lion to pop out. "You wanted to talk to him, might as well do so." She then turned back the rock that she had sat before and planted her butt back on it.

"What can you tell me about your master, lion," demanded Phoenix. His tone of voice became darker with the sound of authority behind his words.

Loke sighed, as he faced the other male that he could see. "Lucy is the kindest person that I've ever run into in hundreds of years. She even saved my life, after making a costly mistake that nearly had gotten myself killed." He glanced towards the blonde with fondness in his eyes. "There are days that I wish I can swade her into marrying me because of her act of kindness for me. Not just towards me, but the others that are under her care."

"Is she like her ancestor, Anna?"

Loke glanced towards the other spirit with a raised eyebrow. "I wouldn't know. Other than Lucy, I was never contacted with any other Heartfilia." He glanced towards Lucy with hope in his eyes. "Do you think you can call Aquarius? She might know Anna."

"Aquarius," gasped Phoenix with wonder in his tone before facing Lucy again. "You have Aquarius?"

"Yes," nodded Lucy with worry in her voice. "She doesn't like me too much though." She glanced down with hurt in her eyes. "She always says that I'm not like my mother…"

Loke growled, "She only says that because she didn't have the amount of time that she wanted with Layla." His eyes burn with the light that he weld within his veins. He allowed a grr to leave his lips before a sigh escaped them. "Call her, he might be able to listen to her."

She nodded before moving towards the water's edge to call upon her mermaid spirit. Who came out with a swirl of water before glaring at Lucy with heat in her eyes. "Why did you call me out, brat? I was on a date with my _boyfriend._ Something that you know nothing about."

"Now Aquarius," stated a deep tone with heat behind his words reminded her. "Is that how you treat your Earthland master's these days?"

The blue haired woman turned towards the voice with fondness in her eyes. "Phoe, could it be you?" Her voice quivered with a couple of tears leaving her eyes. "It's been too long…"

"Yes, it has, sister."

"Sister," gasped Loke and Lucy. Neither one of them knew that Aquarius had a brother.

The birdman chuckled, "Now tell me, why are you treating Anna's descendant like a poor commoner mage. From what I've heard, she isn't close to being common."

The mermaid grumbled with a flick of her tail. Splashing some water onto the blonde sitting near the water. "She isn't Layla…"

"That may be true, sister. But is that any fault of hers or yours for wanting to be like her mother." He glanced towards the young woman. Who was shocked to see the interaction between the two spirits. "And she is no, Anna. I can see that she has a good head on her shoulders and that she may be the one to save this world…"

Aquarius teared up, "But I don't want to lose another part of Layla to whatever is out there." Her eyes became harsh as she glanced towards her brother. "And I won't allow you to do so."

"No," Phoenix shook his head. "I've spent four hundred years of thinking. I will be more interactive with young Lucy if I'm allowed to join on her adventures. I'll keep her alive like I was unable to with Anna." His eyes held determination as he glanced towards his sister. "I won't make the same mistakes like I've done before."

At that moment, Lucy became dizzy. She hadn't realized that she had opened two gates for this long. At least not since the Grand Magic Games, when she hadn't been using her spirits as often as she should. Then again, she really didn't much rest before facing Phoenix like she should have.

Phoenix turned towards Lucy then at the two other spirits. "You two should go back. Her magic is depleting as we speak…"

"I should take her back to her hotel," stated Loke with determination in his voice.

"There is no need, Leo." Phoenix glanced towards the treeline. "She'll be taken care of." He pushed the lion spirit away when he saw that he was making his way closer to Lucy. "I mean it LEO! Go or you'll make it worse for your little _princess._ "

"Fine," stated Loke with harshness in his voice. Then he turned to the mermaid with heat in his voice. "It's a good thing he's your brother, otherwise I would fight him." Then he sparkled out of Earthland.

Aquarius glanced at Phoenix for a moment. "Will you be coming back, so we can talk more?"

"I will," stated the birdman. Then the blue-haired woman flashed out of existence as well. Just as Lucy had closed her eyes, causing her breathing to even out in deep rest. He called out into the night, "You may come out now!"

A shadowy figure came out from the shadows of the trees and brush. When he was within eyesight of the spirit, Phoenix gave a glare. "Why are you following my new, young master?"

"I'm simply following her to keep her safe…" The minted colored haired male glanced down at the sleeping beauty before them. "She has always placed herself in great danger. I just simply keeping an eye on her."

The spirit chuckled, "When are you going to admit that there something in your heart. Other than wanting to keep her safe." He shook his head with a sigh. "I sometimes worry about the human race at times. Not taking chances when it comes to the heart…" Phoenix then turned to the man with harsh looking eyes. "What is your intentions?"

A sigh left the minted-haired man's lips. "It's not about me, Phoenix. It's what she wants." He shook his head before looking into the ice-blue eyes. "She lived in a gilded cage thanks to her father… I just don't want her to feel like her choices are been taken away from her. If I decided to tell her about my...feelings."

The spirit grumbled, "What's your name?"

"Freed Justine."

"Then Freed, you have a good head on your shoulders. But what is good about the head if you won't allow your heart to take control when it's needed." Phoenix gave Freed his key. "Give this to her when she wakes up. I can't help with her drained of energy nor her tiredness." He glanced towards town that he knew wasn't far from where he was standing. "Take her back to town, she needs rest." Then he flashed out of existence as well.

Freed glanced down with a sigh leaving his lips. "If only life was easy as you say, Phoenix. Growing around the life of nobility has its...complications." He made his way to the sleeping woman and picked her up into his strong willing arms. Enjoying the feeling of her head resting against his collarbone. Freed took a deep breath from his nose, smelling her scent of vanilla and rose. Fighting back the shiver of desire for her. "If only declaring one's love was easy…"

The minted-haired man turned towards town, with his golden treasure in his arms. Not focusing on anything, other than keeping the beauty in his arms safe from any worldly arm. Not seeing a shooting star making its way across the heavens. A sign of a wish in wings of life. A dream not yet spoken, making its way to a reality.


	3. Chapter 3

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 3

In the early morning hours, Lucy woke fresh and warm. Her eyes flickered open, not believing that she was in a hotel room. Once her eyesight was clear enough. She noticed that everything was switched around from what she remembered. It was until she noticed that someone was sitting in a chair next to her, sleeping. Something prevented her from wanting to scream after she saw who was in the room with her.

' _Why am I here with him?'_ She glanced towards the nightstand next to her, to see a bright and shiny Plantam Key with a symbol of the flame bird. ' _Freed must have found me in the woods if I'm here and was able to get me the key.'_ She glanced towards the man before her, seeing him without his red coat. Noticing a tightly fitted button up dress shirt, outlining his defined muscles underneath. ' _I had always pictured him as a noble pirate because of the clothes that he wore and that ripper that he swings around for his runes.'_

Lucy almost wrote a story about a pirate, describing him as a son of a nobleman who wanted a life of his own. Making a choice to become a pirate to travel the world and seeing cultures first hand. Without having to read about them. She closed her eyes for a moment, as she took a deep breath. Trying to rid her wandering thoughts about the man next to her.

A moan left the man's lips, as he still slept on. "My golden angel… Lucy." Causing the said woman to open her eyes in a flash to look at the man. She couldn't believe her ears, did the man say her name? A blush made its way from her ears down. She never imagined anyone to say her name in their sleep before.

She stayed where she laid, not wanting to disturb the man from his sleep. Lucy was lost within her thoughts. ' _I don't understand… With Natsu, I would leave the bed after finding him sleeping next to me. Then again, Freed does what he had done. Or is simply that I didn't care about Natsu… like I might for Freed?'_ She groaned softly. Seeing that she hadn't woke the minted-haired male yet. ' _Why am I feeling this flutter in my heart, when I'm thinking about him? I wish my mom was here, she would have…'_

It was then she noticed that Freed's eyes were starting to flicker. Realizing that the man was waking up. She flashed her eyes towards the ceiling, not wanting him to see that she had been watching him. ' _That would have been rude to openly watch him like that.'_

"Good morning, Lucy." She heard the nice baritone voice of the man, which nearly sounded like a hinted purr. Something that she had never heard from him before, it was always the sound of unfeeling man. Lucy then turned her head to where she was able to see him. "How are you this fine morning?"

She smiled, enjoying the sound of finer words in life. Not realizing that she missed the sound of such language of her youth. "I'm fine, thank you." She gave him a small smile, hoping to show her kindness towards the man before her. "Can you tell me, how I made it here?"

Freed glanced away, showing a hint of blush on his cheeks. "I followed you… I wanted to make sure that you were alright." He glanced towards her seeing no heat of anger in her eyes. "I was making sure that no danger came upon you, while you were out in the woods. There is no such thing as safety without numbers."

Lucy gave a small giggle, seeing the restlessness in his posture. She knew that she had a reputation when it came to her anger. But most of it was because of the brainless lovable friend, Natsu. "Don't worry about it Freed, thank you for thinking about my safety." She took a deep breath. "I didn't realize I was out of practice like I was… I couldn't hold two gates open for very long last night."

"I must say, seeing the legendary Phoenix was a sight to behold." The man caused a heartwarming smile coming from the blonde woman. "I don't think anyone has seen the likes of him in ages."

"No, they haven't," answered Lucy with a thoughtful look on her face. She shoved herself to where her back was resting the backboard of the bed that she was. "I couldn't believe the luck that I was able to have him," as she glanced towards the key that was still on the nightstand. "He sure didn't make it easy on me…"

"I beg to differ, Lucy." He chuckled softly after seeing her bright brown eyes found his dark green ones. "At least he wanted to talk to your spirit and not fight them. From what I've read from long-lost books about him, he was never like this. He would have you prove yourself in a battle to weaken enough for him to be submissive towards his new master. Something about the right to be owned…"

Lucy closed her eyes, knowing what Freed was talking about. She hated people whenever she heard such practices like the one that he had talked about. It wasn't her way. It wasn't how one should make friends or gaining a family. "Well, I'm just glad it was just me proving myself through my spirits then." She shook her head as she looked into his eyes again. "I just couldn't believe that he is a brother to one of my spirits."

"Oh, yes. Aquarius," stated the minted-haired man with a chuckle. "It makes sense if you think about it. Fire and water being the natural foundation of life." He smirked as he enjoyed the look of knowledge seeking within her brown eyes. He knew that look well since he had seen it on his own from time or two. If he happened to be in front of the mirror that is. "They can also destroy life if one should find the anger from such natural forces."

Lucy nodded, causing a smile to pull even more on her cheeks. "That is so true, Freed." She pulled the blankets from her body to get her legs hung off the bed. It was then she noticed that her belt with her key and whip were missing, as well as her boots. She gave a shy smile towards the man after seeing her condition. "Huh, Freed. Where can I find my things?"

"Your bag and belt are on the table, next to the window. While your boots are at the end of the bed." His blush came back for a moment. "I wanted you to sleep well…"

Lucy grabbed her key before making her way to the table to get her other keys. "I appreciate the kind gesture, Freed. At least I trust you to not be like the others in our guild…" She spaced off for a moment after she set her key ring in order. She then turned back to him with a thoughtful look. "Freed, you said you followed me? Does that mean you've followed me since Magnolia?"

"Y..yes," the educated man stuttered. Making butterflies flutter in Lucy's belly for some odd reason. "L...like I said… I wanted to…" He gave a cough, rubbing his cheek for a moment. "I wanted to keep you safe."

Lucy for her part, she was not offended about him wanting to watch out for her. She couldn't explain it. There was something about him that she enjoyed having the feeling that he was watching out for her. If it happened to be anyone else, she might have been angry. She still was angry at times with Natsu, whenever he acted like she couldn't do a mission without him tagging along.

She glanced around the room for a clock, which read that it was close to eight in the morning. Too soon for her to go to the mayor's office to get her reward. Lucy's eyes focused back at Freed for a moment before glancing down to the floor. "I still have about an hour or so before meeting the mayor…"

"Would you mind having breakfast with me," asked Freed with a slight tone of eagerness behind his words. Causing Lucy to look at him again. He blushed, "I mean…"

"I would like to," smiled Lucy. She looked towards her boots before grabbing them and then went for her bag and belt. "I'll just go to my room and get ready for the day. I'll see you about fifteen minutes at checkout?"

"Sounds reasonable Lucy." Freed smiled towards her which caused, even more, flutters to happen for her.

Lucy blushed shyly before heading for the door and left quietly. When she found herself in the hallway. ' _My room was across from his…'_ She glanced behind her towards his door with a raised eyebrow. ' _I'm not going to read into this…'_ She then grabbed her hotel key and opened her door and started to get ready for the day.

After about fifteen minutes had passed. Lucy found herself making her way towards the lobby. With her suitcase traveling behind her. After a quick shower. She dressed herself in a tasteful yellow sundress with a white daisy at the bottom of the skirt part. Along with a white belt wrapped around the middle and white sandals on her feet.

When Freed saw Lucy, where he was sitting in one of the lounges in the lobby. He believed he had seen a vision of angelic grace as she made her way into an area that he was in. The way she moved her hips, to the way she spoke to the person behind the desk. He never realized how charming she was, other than her kind-hearted personality. Even the dark part of his magic was purring under the surface as he watched her.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Fighting for control over whatever wanted to pounce her. He had been fighting it for so long. He was finding it hard to fighting back for much longer. ' _I'm going to have to win her heart… and soon.'_ He heard her giggle from where she still stood, causing him to open his eyes. Watching her making her way towards him. ' _She doesn't know how truly tempting she really is…'_

Freed felt his body working for him, as he stood up from where he had been sitting. Smiling at the golden-haired woman before him. "Ready," he asked, realizing that he was openly purring at the woman.

Lucy smiled, enjoying his rich sounding voice. "I am," she stated with warmth. She doesn't remember the last time that she noticed. That she was interested in anyone like she was towards Freed. Lucy knew very little about Freed, other than small tidbits about Fantasia. Where he allowed his demon side to come out and fight with Mira, she wasn't fearful of him after hearing it. She wanted to know more about it.

Freed leaned out his left arm for her. Showing his prestige upbringing. Something she didn't realize that she had missed about her youth. How a man shows his manners when he's around a woman. She gave a smile, as she places her right hand on his offered arm. Allowing him to lead her out of the hotel.

He leads her to the same cafe she was in the night before. Grabbing a coffee each and a bagel with cream cheese. After enjoying the quietness of their meal. When the two were done, Lucy leaned back into her chair with a fond smile. "I have to say, this is refreshing."

"I must confess that it is… Being around team members that lack… some more quaint things in life have its drawback." He chuckled as he thought about his team with his dark green eyes that sparkle for a moment. "There are times that I question my intelligence when facing them."

Lucy took a sip of her coffee before facing the man before her. "What made you leave that kind of life, Freed?"

"I didn't have much of a choice. I can either follow my dreams of wanting to become a mage. Or leave it behind for what my family had wished for my life." He glanced up, seeing the understanding look in Lucy's eyes. "I hear that you were faced with similar issues."

"You can say that," Lucy took another drink. "But what drove me away the most was when father wanted to sell me off to the next highest bidder in marriage." She giggled after seeing the shock look on Freed's face. "When I was younger, my father tried to take my keys away from me after mother giving them to me. Let's just say that one of my spirits scared him nearly to death."

She shook her head sadly. "But his main focus was where he could gain the most money for his company. It wasn't the kind of life I wanted, so at sixteen I ran away. Just a few weeks shy of seventeen. Knowing that I would meet my attended future husband at a ball that my father planned."

"Do you miss it though?" He saw the look that told him that she didn't understand him. "I mean, the life that you had? The rich understanding and value of books… I know you're an educated woman. I was just asking."

Lucy couldn't fault him for asking, she could feel that he may be missing some aspects of that life too. Since he was only asking about how she may be feeling about it. "I don't miss the massive cold feeling of a mansion. I don't miss the flashy clothes that I was forced to wear." She glanced down at her hands. "But I do miss the security that it has for me. I do enjoy the fact that I have my own freedoms and independence that I didn't have before."

She glanced up seeing understanding in his eyes. "At night, when I'm able to dream about that kind of life. I do miss having conversations with people. That I don't have to explain myself in a way that I have to use more words than I want to." She giggled. "Don't take me wrong, I enjoy having the friends I do. But trying to talk simply to them is long winded at times."

"I can tell you stories on some similarities I have with Laxus and Bickslow." He shook his head as he thought about his own team. "Poor Ever, she tries to understand what I'm saying. But her mind loses focus at times."

Lucy nodded, "Same with Levy. Especially when she has a book in front of her." She placed her hand in her bag for a moment, before bringing it back out. "It nine, I should head for the mayor's office."

"I'll walk you to city hall, then we can catch the train from there."

The two enjoyed the feeling of the sun breathing down on them. It wasn't hot, but warm to say the least. Lucy had gone in and collected her award of which was her 150,000 J and a silver key. Which she found to be a raven tracker and had a gift of hiding its owner in shadows. When she walked outside the building, she found Freed where she left him. Waiting for her like he had said, which she found pleasing that someone did as they had said.

He gave her a smile, "Did everything go well?"

"Yeah, I even have another key." Her own smile graced her lips. "I got a silver key of the raven. It should help with tracking and hiding. Something I always hate seeing dragon slayers do on daily bases."

"I can understand that." He stated as he grabbed their belongings as they made their way towards the station. "I always hated that Laxus was able to find dark guilds without my aid with runes." He shook his head. "Seeing that man sniffing like a dog," he shivered. "Kind of ruins the fun for others…"

They made their way to the booth, where Freed bought both of their tickets. Which she was about the argument that she pay for her own when he raised his hand. "Allow me, Lucy." His eyes looked sharp but his grin out shown that sharp look. "Allow this man to show his gentleman side for once… But I do want to ask you something since we're near one another. Without the watchful eye of our guild."

"What is it Freed," she asked as she found a stead at a bench. While waiting for the next train back home.

"Would you mind having dinner with me, tonight?" He glanced down, trying to hide his discomfort as he asked the woman beside him for a date. "If everything goes well, I wouldn't mind having you as… my girlfriend."

Lucy reached over for one of his hands and laced her fingers within. Causing Freed to look up, showing him the smile that she had on her face. "Regardless if dinner went well or not Freed, I wouldn't mind being your girlfriend."

"You are an angel among men," he stated with a hint of surprise in his voice.

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at his statement about her. "I don't know about that, Freed." She could feel her face heat up from such words he said. "I've never heard anyone say that about me, before."

Before anything else was said. Their train came to take them home. When they boarded, they found a seat next to one another. Enjoying the peaceful and quiet that they were willing to give one another. Watching the landscape as it passed on by. Within moments they were back home. Splitting away from each other with a plan that Freed would pick her up at her home around five in the evening.

After Lucy had run by her apartment to drop off her stuff. She went to the guild to check in with Mira. Allowing the barmaid to see for herself that Lucy was alive and well. The white-haired woman smiled, "So Lucy. I see an extra spark behind usual look behind your eyes. Is there love in the air with you...maybe?"

Lucy allowed a giggle leave her lips. "I don't know yet, Mira." She glanced around, hoping that not many were hearing their conversation. "But I can say," she smiled at her friend before her. "It's a start to something."

Mira gave the blonde a look that said that she wanted more input than what Lucy was giving her. She leaned into the counter, with a small heated glare in her eyes. "Now come on Lucy, give me something here."

Lucy shook her head, she couldn't fight the smile that wouldn't leave her face. "Now Mira, I know you mean well. But can't you be happy for me," she glanced around for a moment. "At least for the time being." She whispered to the kind woman before her softly. "I've never had a relationship before Mira. I'm somewhat nervous about all this."

The white-haired woman seemed to have calmed down in her excitement for her friend. "Alright, Lucy. I see where you're coming from. But at least tell how you're feeling about all this," her bright bubbly voice spoke to her.

"I feel…" Her eyes hurt, from imagining the sparkle that they held. She never imagined that she would be this happy. ' _Was this how mom felt about dad, back when they first met?'_ She could only imagine everything about her parents. Because her father never spoke about them after her mother's death. Not, even more, a moment. It was always the maids who were willing to tell stories that they were able to tell. "Is it normal to feel butterflies, Mira," she asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

Mira reached out and placed her hand over Lucy's, giving the younger woman a kind smile. "You really never experienced love before, have you?"

"These are the days that I wish I had my mother, Mira." Lucy allowed a couple tears leak out of her eyes, but still allowed her smile to not falter from her lips. She took a deep breath and pushed herself away from the counter. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mira. I have an evening to somewhat plan out."

"Have a nice time, Lucy. You deserve a bit of happiness," Mira spoke with kindness behind her words and her bright blue eyes. After seeing the blonde exit out of the doors. "Mavis, please allow this love grow for Lucy. She really needs this." Then she went along with her cleaning, just any normal day at the guild.


	4. Chapter 4

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 4

Freed had walked in, just moments before Lucy had and sat at his team's table. Where each one of them was giving him curious looks. "Speak your mind," he barked softly at his friends. He knew that he needed to be direct with them.

"So how did it go," asked Bickslow as his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

"It went," he smiled softly. "It went as well as one would have thought for." He saw the looks friend his team and knew that he needed to speak frankly with them. "It went better than I had hoped for. She wasn't angry when she found out that I have followed her to her job. I had even was able to watch over her from a safe distance." He let a chuckle out of his lips. "There was danger to her, other than exhaustion. How she handled that spirit was, a sight to behold."

Laxus seemed to have been listening to the conversation at the bar. Just moments after Lucy had made her way to Mira. His eyebrows lifted higher than Freed had even seen before. The massive male glanced at him with an amused look on his face. "You're her first relationship, Freed."

The rest at the table even Freed had frozen after hearing that from their leader. Making every one of them shock before glancing at the blonde at the bar. Each one of them surprised, not realizing the kind of life she had before coming to the guild. How much of the knowledge of knowing that she really didn't have much of life, to begin with.

Laxus sighed, as he closed his eyes. "She has no way of knowing what love should feel like." He opened his eyes, letting them see the sorrow in them. "She wishes that her mother was around…" He shook his head. "I had no idea…"

Freed closed his eyes and nodded. "No you wouldn't, I grew up around knowing the Heartfilia's at an early age. My father had dealt business with Jude, her father. I remember years ago, my father running through our home calling for mother. Letting her know about Lucy's mother, Layla had died from a sickness that dealt with her magic." He saw understanding from his friends after seeing it in their eyes. He took a deep breath. "I can only imagine after her mother's death that her father had tried to keep her from learning magic. She nearly said as much when we talked earlier."

Evergreen leaned across the table to look at Freed with a fond smile on her face. "Freed, make sure to take things slow. You both deserve the kind of happiness that we all dream of." She hit Bickslow with her fan, after hearing wrenching beside her. "You're just jealous because you don't have one romantic bone in your body."

"No, baby." His smiled pulled for a moment before he became serious for a moment. "I'm more jealous of him get Cosplay." He gave a soft whistle. "I mean look at that fine body he may get to see…" He shook in his seat after seeing Freed with heat in his eyes. Causing Bickslow to raise his hands. "Don't kill me for being a man with eyes, Freed. You gotta admit that she is a looker."

"If things go well…"

"When," stated Ever with heat in her eyes and voice. "The word is when, Freed," she hissed at him.

"Okay, when things go well. I was going to ask her to join our team," he saw surprised but happy looks from the rest of Thunder Legion. "After seeing her old team leaving her behind. I want to ask to join ours, maybe she can grow into her power more. Knowing Natsu had prevented from doing so."

After seeing the agreements from Bickslow and Evergreen. He turned his focus on Laxus, who seemed to be deep in thought. "I'll agree to it after we do a simple mission with her. Sometime after your date of course. The reason I want to start simple with her is to see where she may need to improve on something. Before taking something like an S-class mission with her."

Freed sighed, "Agreed." He glanced around the guild for a moment. Noticing that Lucy had already left for the day and knew that he would have to go through with his plan for the evening. "I better go, if I want my future the way I want to be."

Laxus laughed out loud after hearing Freed's statement. But also hearing the calm laugh and giggle from the two others. "Enjoy your night, man." Laxus shook his head, seeing the misbelief behind his stormy eyes. "Let's do a mission with Blondie in a couple of days. It'll give the two of you to know each other in the meantime."

Freed stood up and bowed to his blonde friend. "Your kind words humble me."

Laxus laughed some more, as he waved towards the minted-haired man before him. "Go, have fun." His laugh became a chuckle. "Just don't do what I would do. Knowing the kind of woman that you're seeing tonight."

Bickslow nearly fell out of his chair. "Yeah, ya might scare her away. Knowing what this Thunder God of man does when courting women."

"Courting," smirked Laxus as a snort came out of his nose. "Isn't it a too long of a word for you or something?"

"No," Bickslow answered with his own hummer. "Just too snobbish, if you ask me."

If was then that Freed left his friends behind. Making his way out of the guild, not really believing the kind of friends that he had made in Fairy Tail. As he walked down the street, a woman with pink hair in a maid outfit came to him. Nearly scaring him out his mind, since he was deep in thought, to begin with.

"You must be the man that is courting my princess," stated the maid with hardly feeling from her face.

"Your princess," asked Freed with a raised eyebrow, until a thought came to him. "Are you one of Lucy's spirits?"

"I am," she glanced around for a moment. "I came here with my own power to assist you on your endeavor. So I must ask, what are you plans for this evening with princess?"

Freed gave the maid a worried look but lead her away from the guild. Making his way towards his home. One of the better neighborhoods in town. Opening an iron rod gate to a Victorian two-story home. The house was a blue-green color with a white finish, along with a white porch. Inside, the wooden floors were in a rich color red furnished floors. The walls, a light sage with gold accents.

The minted-haired man glanced at the maid, as she made her way toward the up to date kitchen. With all its bells and whistles that it needed to function. She opened the refrigerator and cupboards, as well as the pantry to see what he had. The maid glanced at the man with a timid smile. "You have enough stuff for me to make lemon chicken over some rice, along with steam broccoli of the side. I can also make some kind of dessert for the two of you."

Freed crossed his arms as he leaned on the back of the chairs that were in front of the island. Glancing at the spirit before him. "Virgo," he asked in his normal tone of unfeeling. "Why are you doing this? I could have come up with something for your princess."

"That may be true, Mr. Justine." She gave a true smile when she saw the surprise in his eyes. "But I want this night to go well for my princess. It means something to her, even though she may not show it. You are the first person to ask her…" She brought out the things that she would be needing. "Plus, I would like to see her happy… She has always done things for others and not herself." She turned to the man of the house with a thoughtful look. "I'm just hoping you're the guy to show her that it's alright to be first once in awhile."

Freed gave a short nod, showing her that he heard her. "Since you're taking care of the dinner." He glanced towards the stairs. "I should see what I should look like, in a few hours."

He turned to make his way up the stairs. Once he found his bedroom, where he passed through the door to make his into the walk-in closet. Where he pulled out one of his best. A button up burgundy dress shirt. Along with a pair of black slacks, with a matching vest. He glanced down, realizing he needed the proper shoes and not his everyday boots that he wore.

' _I don't remember the last time I dressed to impress anyone. Then again, there was no one before Lucy that I wanted to do it for.'_ He brought his clothes out of the closet and onto his bed. He glanced over at a clock next to his been seeing he had time to take a shower. ' _I just hope this date goes well. I wouldn't mind having a beauty like Lucy in my life…'_

Once he had taken a shower, he dressed for his date and noticed he had a few minutes before he needed to leave his home. Freed made his way down the stairs to see that Vergo was nearly done with everything.

The spirit maid glanced up with a raised eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be off to pick up, my princess?"

The minted-haired man smirked. "I'm nearly leaving now. But I must ask, do you know Lucy well to know what kind of flower she may like?"

"Deep red rose," stated Virgo with deep-rooted knowledge in her voice. "It reminds her of the roses that her mother once grew. It is one of the kinder memories she was able to have."

"Thank you."

He had left his house behind, knowing that it was in good hands while he went out to do what he needed to do. About five minutes before the time that he needed to pick up Lucy, he found himself outside her door. Knocking. When the door opened, he was greeted with a beautiful sight that nearly took his breath away. Before him, Lucy in an over the shoulder firm fitting dress that reached to her knees. Along with a shimmering burgundy wrap, wrapped around her shoulders.

"G...good evening…. Lucy." He was starting to hate himself for stuttering around her. He handed her the rose that he was told that she may like. She gave a smile before taking it into her apartment and placed it in a vase on her table.

"Thank you, Freed. You didn't have to." She grabbed her handbag before ushering him out of her apartment to lock the door. "Where are we going?"

"My place," he stated as calmly as he could. "I thought a nice quiet evening, would do as well." He was trying to hide his blush again. Once they were on the street level, he offered her his arm again before leading her back to her house. "I must confess that someone else took control of my kitchen…"

Lucy gave him a look, trying to come up with anyone that she would believe would do that to him and come up with nothing. "Who?"

"Your Celestial Spirit, Virgo came and commandeered my kitchen." He allowed a chuckle to leave his lips, after seeing her feeling uncomfortable. "I think it was the best. She did help me out by allowing me to look sharp for this evening."

Lucy giggled, trying not to see his dark green eyes. "I'm sorry that she did that. I don't know what's gotten into her…"

"Like I said, Lucy. Don't worry about it. She said that she wanted to make the night nice for you." He let out a small chuckle. "To be honest, I've never done this. Asking a lovely lady on a date...before. So this is a first for me."

She gave a slight squeeze of his arm, trying to get him to look at her. Which he did. "Hey, it's alright, this a first for me too." She fought to turn her eyes away from him. Wanting to see where she was going. "I guess living the life we came from had limited us from a lot of luxuries that we should have experienced?"

"You make a valid point." After a moment of walking into the better-looking neighborhood of houses. He stopped them outside of his house. "Here we are." Then lead them into the house, where they were greeted with soft sounding music. "Hahaha, I see she thought almost everything."

Lucy glanced around, hoping to see her spirit maid and give her a stern talking to about. Freed lead her into the house to where she could only imagine being where the dining room would be. It was where she saw two place settings, at two different ends of the table. Along with candles being lit in the middle of the table.

"I stand corrected," stated Freed with an amused sounding voice. "She did think of everything." He went to one side of the table to see a wine bottle that was sitting and took a look. "She even brought out some rosehip wine that I had made about a year ago."

"You make your own wine," asked Lucy with wonder in her voice.

"Believe it or not, I enjoy learning new things. I've been making my own wine since being at Fairy Tail. I also make wine for my friends for Christmas presents. I figured it's something that everyone would enjoy. This year, I've made Huckleberry wine."

"Wow," Lucy was impressed by what she learned about him. "I've always wanted to learn things like that but afraid to even try." She found herself sitting down, at the other end of the table from where Freed was standing. "From what I've seen, you do have a lovely home, Freed."

He smiled at her warmly. "Thank you, Lucy." He glanced around. "It has taken a long time for me to get this house fixed up. I even had Laxus and Bickslow's help." He chuckled softly. "Remembering those two doing simple things like fixing a house. It was humorous to watch, to say the least."

Lucy smiled as she tried to picture the wild energetic man like Bickslow picking a hammer. Or even Laxus… well, he could lift up boards and nail things in place. For some odd reason, she could see him doing manual labor. Then she glanced over to Freed, she could see him determined to do whatever he wanted to do. It gave her some kind of comfort in knowing that.

Off to the corner of their eyes, a figure came into the dining room with hot dishes in her hands. "You two came back in time. I just finished with dinner." She went to each side of the table, placing the dishes where they needed to go. "Is there anything else you two may need?"

Lucy glared at Virgo, while a smile graced her lips. "Can we talk for a moment, Virgo?"

"Sure princess." The spirit maid leads Lucy into the kitchen. Where the two were able to talk. "What can help you with, princess?"

"Virgo," she hissed softly, hoping that Freed wouldn't able to hear her. "Why did you do all this? I didn't want you or anyone else to make things hard on me. You know that things like this make me uneasy. Especially when people talk about it around me."

"I did this to help you, princess. I wanted you to have a memorable night." She glanced into the dining room for a moment. "You should go and enjoy your date. If you still angry about everything later. Call me when you get home and punish me…" She raised her eyebrows with hope in her eyes. Then she sparkled out of the house, leaving Lucy by herself.

The blonde woman shook her head. "I sometimes wonder the kind of spirits I have." She then made her way back to the dining room, seeing Freed waiting for her there. "Sorry, I just wanted to talk to her before she left."

"It's fine," he stated with a wave of his hand. "Let's enjoy our dinner."

She smiled before sitting down. Enjoying her time with the first man that ever asked her out. She can only hope that none of her spirits would scare him away. Which she hoped that they wouldn't.


	5. Chapter 5

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 5

After dinner, Freed lead Lucy into his study. Where she fell in love with the sight of books that covered from wall to wall. Along with a piano near to one corner of the room. She turned to him with a smile. "You know how to play?"

"I do," he gave his own smile in return. "Although, it has been a while. Sadly none of my friends are willing to hear such things." He walked over to the piano and sat on the bench before tinkling the keys. "I had once wished for someone to share my love of music with." He then glanced towards her with a coy looking smile. "I had hoped that you would be the one that I could."

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at the way he was looking at her. "I haven't heard anyone play in a long time." As she heard the haunting sound of the lovely notes in the air. Nearly imagine what the music was saying to her. "The last person that I was able to hear such music from. Was my father… just moments after mother died." She took a deep breath. "It was one of the things I missed about him. Him being able to play…"

Lucy sat down next to Freed on the bench. Watching him as he played the nice melody that swayed across the room. Feeling the vibrations, like she had once enjoyed. Bring her back to a time that was long forgotten. Wishing her father would have remembered, long before he had lost his way in his business. A time that seemed more carefree.

"You look unreachable just now." Spoke Freed with the sound of wonder in his voice. Causing Lucy to look at him with a soft smile. He played on. "Where were you, just now?"

"Here... there... Somewhere in time," she smiled. "I've never felt this sense of… I don't know what to call it." She really couldn't stop herself from smiling. Lucy had never felt so warm and free about music. At least, not for an age. "But I must say, it's hard to want to let go."

"I have read at one point that music has a way of healing…" He gave her a lustful glance. Which she had never seen pointed towards herself before. "It also has a way of remembering…"

"I know something about that. One of my silver key spirits is Lyra, she plays the harp." She shook her head, as her eyes wandered towards the window. Seeing that night had fallen. "She has a way with those things. I don't always call on her because of her bringing some to tears. At least the last time I had called her out."

After a moment of Freed stopping. A blink of an eye, the music changed. The tone and urgency in the sound as the notes carried across the room. Causing the vibrations to hit Lucy, to her very soul. Feeling things that she had never felt before.

Her soul weeping for something that it knew nothing about. Feeling the notes caressing her like a lover. Her lungs battling for breath that it didn't know that it was struggling. The even feeling wetness between her legs that she had never known before.

Lucy had no idea that music could be magical in its own way. A hidden lover. Playing on emotions that she never thought that existed. Other than pages that she longed to be true. Even her own heart was being controlled by its own beat that she knew nothing about.

She turned her focus to the man that was causing such music. Seeing the half-lidded glance of lustful eyes. She can only imagine that her own eyes were the same. She could even see that he was struggling for his own right to air. His fingers moving across the keys, like a madman on a hunt for salvation.

"What magic is this," she gasped out. Hoping the man next to her would know the answer to her question.

One of his hands had left the piano, while the other still played on its haunting melody. Grazing her cheek before devouring her lips with his own. Both demanding for the passionate kiss that was brought on by the enchanting music. Neither one of them feeling the need to stop or slow down.

They pulled away once the need for air became too great. It was then that Lucy noticed Freed's eyes had changed. Instead his normal dark green eyes. They were dark purple, surrounded by a sea of black. She found it to be breathtakingly beautiful. Making her believe it was the dark side of himself that he keeps hidden.

"Be mine," stated a deeper and darker sounding voice. Letting her know that she was truly dealing with his darker side. Even know that Freed was still apart of him.

"In what way," she asked in a raspy voice. Feeling him stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"My magic calls to you, even my music. The only way for it to do so is if you were my...soulmate. Someone who was made to balance out my darkness." His own voice became raspy as he tried to gain some kind of focus as he tried to talk to her. "Your lightness to my darkness… Two halves interweaved in the tapestry of life. You and I were made for each other."

"How… how do I become yours," she asked, with the sound of the need of knowledge in her voice. "Make me understand."

Freed left the keyboard to have both of his hands on her cheeks. But for some reason, the piano kept on playing the entrance tone that he had played before. "Similar to that of a dragon slayer, who wishes to claim a mate. I would have to allow my darker side to embed my fangs into your collarbone for it to work. Exchanging one's magic with the other. Intermingle for us to become one."

"What are the benefits for such bonding?" Her breathing became shallow. Trying to fight control over the music that was raving havoc on her very being. Lucy knew that she was losing all sense of control.

"You and I can never be far apart." Freed took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. "I will always know if you are endanger." He then glanced up into her eyes, seeing her brown eyes become warm with the knowledge that he was giving her. "You'll never feel alone."

She leaned in, giving him a quick but needy kiss. "I don't see anything bad, at least from what I'm hearing. Except maybe the pain behind it all."

"We would have to lock ourselves in a lovers dance." Causing himself to blush as well as the woman before him. "It's the only way to minimize the amount of pain for exchanging one's magic."

Lucy gave a small giggle. "Kind of like grounding yourself before the charge?"

"Precisely," he breathed out. Trying to control his need from starting the bonding. With the beautiful blonde before him. "The question is, do you want to bond with me?" He leaned closer to her, kissing her across her jawline before going for the neck. Grazing his teeth lightly across the skin, feeling her shiver as he showed her affection.

"If we bonded," she wondered. Wanting to know some answers before jumping in. Even though her body wanted her to shut up and jump him already.

"You move in. Be apart of my team," he breathed in her sent. Wanting to do more than just kissing and feeling her. "Never having to live without the other." Sucking her ear, hearing the sound of a moan coming from her luscious lips. "Tell me what you want, Lucy."

"I want… I want to have a life," she gasped out as she felt her serves to come to life for something more. "...with you." Lucy felt his lips leaving her, as he pulled back. Causing her to open her eyes to see him looking at her. "I want you."

A growl left his lips, low but not menacing. Vocalizing his need for her. He rushed towards her, bringing her into his arms. Then he carried her out of the study and up the stairs to his bedroom.

When they reached his room, he calmly placed her back onto her feet. With the last ounce of control, he had left. He was able to take their clothes off without ripping any of them, before laying her on his bed. Covering her body with his own, as he continued what he started downstairs. Kissing her neck, while he slowly making his way down her body. Mapping every part of her body into his memory.

"Freed," she breathed out, as her body wiggled under him. "Please…" Feeling her fingers acting on their own, as they raking themselves through his hair. Which she found silky and smooth. Something that she would never imagine from a man's head of hair.

"Don't worry, my love." He rasped out as he kissed one of her rosebud nipples. "I need to prepare your nether lips before I enter you." He kept making his way south, as he kissed her body. "I wouldn't want you harmed from my need for you…"

When Freed had placed one of his hands on her thighs. He found Lucy to be quite jumpy. He knew by her scent that her growing need for him was getting to be a bit much for her. But he needs for her to get to him, so he started massaging her thighs. Feeling her relaxing under his touch.

"That's it my love, relax." He kept massaging her thighs, enjoying the release of her tense under his guided hands. "If I was a weaker man. I would have lost control long before now."

Once he realized that Lucy wasn't going to fight him. He moved down, even more, placing himself between her legs. Seeing his goal before his very eyes. Rubbing his fingertips over the soft guarded lips. When he saw that she wasn't fighting against anymore, he inserted his fingers one at a time into her very core. Massaging her and stretching her. Before he would allow something else to be inserted there.

After many minutes of sheer torture of hearing her gasps and moans. Believing that she was ready for his staff because he was ready to start losing his control for her. He crawled his way back up Lucy's body. Feeling his need growing as he crawled.

His lips locking onto her's, showing each other the passion that they have for one another. Her fingers digging into his back, trying to draw him closer. Her legs wrapped around his hips. With one sharp shift of his hips, his member was rammed into her weeping core. Both latching onto each other. Feeling the intense but wonderful feeling of being connected like they were met to be.

When the slight burning pain had left Lucy's body, she started caressing her fingers over Freed's back. Letting him know that he could start moving. With slow movements of rocking in and out of her. They started to feel intense of primal need growing as each time they connected. A building force making the experience, even more, glorious than they had once thought.

"Freed," she moaned out. Her mind lost by the feeling that she was enjoying. Believing for the very first time in all of her life. He would be the only man to give her such experience. The deep-rooted of acceptance.

"What do you need... my love?"

"More," Lucy breathed out. "I want more." Her breathing becoming more uneven. Her arms falling away from Freed, not have the strength to hold on. Giving up the rest of herself to allow him to pleasure her, in any way he saw fit.

Freed reached for her hips and moved them up, holding them in place. Just before he shifted his hips, moving in a hurry like fashion. A rhythm he can only control. Enjoying the sight of her quivering body. All of it was his way of worshiping her. As he felt her walls tightening around his member, he knew that she was near her end.

"Come for me, my angel." He leaned his head down, feeling his teeth growing as they grazed over her collarbone. "Come for me….and we'll become… bonded."

With one final squeeze. He felt her juices surrounding him before he embedded his fangs into her waited flesh. Feeling their magics intertwining as they dance through their heated nerves. Both feeling, charged and drained. When he felt that enough magic had intertwine, he pulled out his teeth and licked the area of which he had bitten.

"You are….now mine." Freed was near breathless before pulling himself out of Lucy completely. He gently laid down next to her, pulling blankets on top of them. Before wrapping his arm around her. Feeling that neither one of them had the energy for anything more. "Sleep...my angel. Tomorrows….a new day." The two newly bonded pair, fell asleep in each other's embrace. Not carrying for anything else. But the feeling of the warmth and love that each held for one another.

As the two slept, a figure popped into the from one of the keys. He gave a glance towards the sleeping pair before pulling the blankets off. With a wave of his hand, both were healed under his healing flame. He pulled the blankets back on. Once he was satisfied that they were going to wake up in the morning better than they would have. Then he was gone, leaving the two to sleep once more.


	6. Chapter 6

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 6

The next morning, three figures walked through the front door of Freed's home. Each one of them looking around. Surprising to see the minted-haired man wasn't up and about.

"Where could he be," asked the female voice of the group. "He's usually up long before us."

The blonde male of the group took a whiff of the air. "Blondie is still here," he glanced behind him to see his two other friends. Seeing that each one of them were surprised to learn that kind of information that he gave them. "Didn't I tell him not to do anything that I would do? Because if it was me, I was would have bedded her."

Bickslow grinned, "You wouldn't just bed her, boss. You would also leave her." He glanced around the living room that they were in. "Freed isn't the kind of guy."

Evergreen waked him over the head with her fan. Glaring at the foolish looking knight with a glare in her eyes. "I would never imagine him to be like that. Then again, this is the first time I've known that he went after someone." She made her way into the kitchen, putting a pot of water on the stove. "We should surprise them with breakfast or something."

A flash came next to her as if answering her statement. "Don't worry about it," stated a pink-haired woman in a maid's uniform. "I'm taking care of that. I'll even make more for you three."

Laxus huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're one of Blondie's spirits, aren't you?" When he was given a nod, he asked, "Do you know when they'll be waking up?"

"I believe they're in the shower, Lightning Slayer." She turned around to start on a massive breakfast. "I imagine that you'll be wanting the slayer amount of food."

The blonde mass of man huffed. "I'm not as bad as that kid, Natsu. From what I've heard, he had eaten Blondie out of house and home a few times."

The spirit maid nodded. "Yes, he has." She then turned towards the coffee maker and started on making a pot of coffee. Knowing that her princess may want some. "But he has kept my princess safe. Nothing else a spirit can ask for."

Bickslow came to the counter-island, taking his visor off to allow everyone to see his red eyes. "You know, you can say something bad about the guy. I mean it's only natural to allow yourself to feel something you know."

Virgo glanced at the blue-black mohawk man with raised eyebrows. "Then I can say that he always leads my princess into danger when it's not needed." She went on cooking. "He's never once listened to her and follow through with sound minded plans that she's come up with. Sir Natsu should be punished."

Bickslow glanced over towards Laxus with a raised eyebrow. "I think I broke Cosplay's maid."

The blonde male only laughed. "I don't think so, I think she's just started."

"If you truly wanted to break me, you foolish knight." Causing everyone to look at the maid with surprised glances. Seeing emotion behind her eyes and a wicked looking smile. "You first have to punish...me." She waved towards her chains that were attached her wrists. "These may hold you better than they have held me."

"Damn," called out Bickslow with disbelief in his voice. "Did Cosplay get some last night and you want some too?"

Virgo leaned into the counter, glancing towards the two-toned haired man. "It depends on how good you think you are."

Laxus started laughing, causing Virgo to go back to her work. "Oi, Bickslow! She was messing with ya, man!" He laughed some more after seeing his friend fuster. "I didn't realize that Blondie had interesting spirits."

"You don't know half of it," called out a female voice coming down the stairs. Along with their friend behind her. "Sometimes I wonder about my sanity with them."

Lucy came down in a mix of curls and waves of her long golden hair. Wearing blue jean pants, with a white button-down dress shirt. Along with the burgundy shimmer wrap around her shoulders that she wore the night before. Making her look like a casual looking lady.

Freed walking down the stairs behind her, with his hair done in a braid. Also wearing blue jeans and white button-down dress shirt. When they had reached the bottom of the stairs, he took one of Lucy's hand and lead her into the dining room. Where everyone had followed them. Once there, Freed sat down and tug Lucy down to sit on his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

Everyone else found their seats around the table. Glancing at Freed with worried looks. None of them had seen him to be as laid back as he was. Nor had they seen him being openly...affectionate about anything. So relaxed and alive than he normally would.

"Alright Freed," stated Laxus as he leaned back in his chair. "If I had known that something like Blondie would make you into a normal human being. I would have thrown her at you long ago." He chuckled, surprising that neither of the lovebirds was angry with his statement. "But what gives, what did you to do to make you like this?"

Freed smirked, pulling Lucy to where her head was leaning on his collarbone. Keeping her as close as they can be. He took a deep breath, after smelling her scent, keeping him calm. "In dragon terms, we're mated Laxus."

"But you're not a dragon slayer, Freed. So how does that work," wondered the blonde male.

"No," agreed the minted-haired male. "But my magic has done so. Since I have the darkness within my soul." He rubbing his hands over Lucy's arms. "Her lightness balances my darkness. Allowing us to... be mated with one another." He glanced at his friends, seeing somewhat of an understanding in their eyes. "It's an old long lost ability. Allowing one's magic to bond with another, when one has found their soulmate."

"So, she was made for you," asked Evergreen with a smile. "So in all aspects, your magic wedding you two?"

"Yes," purred Freed in agreement.

"Oh no," gasped Lucy as she pulled away from Freed to look into his eyes. "Mira is so going to kill me…" The statement that she made, was enough to cause everyone to freeze in their seats. As if hoping that the she-demon hadn't heard her.

"What do you mean, Lucy." Freed calmed down his urges that wanted to bring his angel closer to him. Wanting to feel her close as much as possible. "Why would Mira want to kill you?"

"Well, you know her better than I do. Wouldn't she want an excuse to have a big Fairy Tail wedding." She then saw understanding within everyone's eyes. "Nothing is going to prevent her from wanting to go Demon-Soul on us."

Laxus shook his head. "For your health, I hope it is Demon-Soul and not her Satan-Soul that she uses on you two."

"Not helping Laxus," growled Freed, as his eyes flashed into his darkness. "No one is harming my angel, without me harming them first." Bringing her closer to him. Showing everyone that he met to protect her. A whimper left her lips, causing him to relax on his hold on her. "Sorry, my love. I didn't mean to hold you that tight."

It was then that Virgo came in and started placing plates all over the table. She also brought out tea and coffee, along with other drinks they may need. Once everything was on the table she faced the two with a bow. "Is there anything else you may need?"

"No Virgo," stated Freed with a carrying voice. "You may go."

"As you wish," bowing out into a sparkling mess.

Laxus chuckled as he shook his head. "Freed, having the spirit maid around. I'm afraid we're all going to get spoiled." Causing everyone to dig into their meal. "I have to say, this is better than the food at the guild."

"Don't allow Mira to hear you say that," stated Bickslow. Enjoying his own food. "She might end up poisoning you or something."

"Oi," the blonde chuckled. "Believe me, she has tried." He grabbed a cup of coffee. "She even tried spiking my drink with a love potion." He laughed wholeheartedly. "Lucky for me, dragon slayer metabolism burns through those things. To where it doesn't affect me like it would a normal person."

Evergreen sighed, "So when are you going to allow your lady off of you, Freed? I mean, isn't hard for you to eat with her on her lap?"

Freed chuckled, which vibrated smoothly across the room. "Bonding takes a few days for it to calm down, Ever. Just like mated dragon slayers, we would have to be close to one another like this for a while." He smiled while seeing confused glances from his friends. "But unlike dragon slayers, I won't be violent about it. Unless someone tried taking her from me."

"How come you know so much about dragon slayers," asked Lucy as she glanced towards the man, who held her close to him.

"I love to read," stated the minted-haired man. "Plus ever since Laxus revealed to us. Back when we first met that he was one. I had to read. I wanted to know something that I haven't known before."

"Yeah," chuckled Laxus darkly. "He wouldn't stop spouting facts. Nor would he stop asking me questions." He shook his head. "To be honest, I should have read up on slayers when I was younger. But having Freed around, I really didn't need to." He allowed a sigh to leave his lips. "Also having Gajeel breathing down my neck about mates has been too much lately."

Bickslow glanced at him with a worried look. "Do you know who it is, boss?" He fluttered his eyebrows. "If you need help, I'm willing to aid you."

Laxus gave him a glare. "No, Bicks. There is no way in Hell I would need that kind of help…" He shivered. "She might end up tying me up!"

"It's Mira, isn't it?" Everyone turned to Lucy, who had an amused look on her face.

"How did you figure that one out," asked Laxus.

"Easy, I've noticed you've like alpha type women." She saw the surprised looks on everyone's face. Causing her blush, as she reached for her own cup of coffee. "Plus I saw the lingering glances that you think nobody's watching. When you look at her." She took a sip. "It's been happening more lately than you believe."

"Alright Blondie," sighed the massive man. Pushing his plate and cup of coffee away. "You've got me. Mira is my mate." He shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "I thought that no one was watching."

Evergreen giggled, "I think the only people not noticing, were you and Mira." She leaned back into her own seat with a knowing smile. "Honestly Laxus, you're an open book at times."

Freed smirked darkly. "Not always, Ever. Laxus enjoys his pride and solitude more than anything." He glanced around seeing that everyone was done with their breakfast. "I guess we should head to the guild. Not wanting a search party on Lucy, knowing her luck of friends."

At that moment a knock came at the door. "I'll get it," called out Bickslow as he ran towards the door. A moment later he came back with mail in his hands. "You have an important letter from the council, Freed."

Freed opened the letter to see what was being written. "On the behalf of the Magical Council, we here congratulate you on your magical right of bonding. From this moment on, you are hereby from the ancient rights set long ago. You are now married to your bonded." His eyes popped out of his eyes, while a big smile graced his lips. He moved to the other paper. "A marriage certificate that states that Lucy and I are indeed married."

After hearing the words from Freed. Something in Lucy made her soar with happiness in finding out. They were married by magic. It just made her happy. She was even more pleased after seeing and feeling his happiness coming at her in waves.

Freed set the papers down upon the table. Showing his happiness through his eyes. Leaving an arm wrapped around his precious gift that his magic gave him. His wife. "I guess I'm going to have to dig out that ring that I have lying around."

"Ring," asked Laxus. "You just found out that your magic married the two of you together. And all you're thinking out is a ring?" He shook his head, as a huff left his lips. "Sometimes I forget where you come from. Nobility gets married off the bat and all you have to worry about is a ring."

"Can't fight what was meant to be," stated Freed with a smile that showed his teeth. "Now, where did I have that ring," he asked as he tried to remember. Grazing his finger across his chin as he thought.

A moment later a flash came into the dining room. Showing Virgo once more, holding something in her hand as she passed something off to Freed. "Were you looking for this, sir?"

Freed reached out and grabbed the small black box with a smile. "Thank you, Virgo. You saved the trouble for me to track this down." He glanced at the spirit with a raised eyebrow. "Where did you find it, by the way?"

"Your top drawer...in your closet." She glanced around. "Oh, dishes." She then ran around the dining room. Grabbing everything before going into the kitchen.

The minted-haired man shook his head before opening the box and placed the ring on Lucy's finger. Where an alexandrite sat, with diamonds all around it. Equal parts purple and bluish-green. It was enough to lose Lucy within the massive gem on her finger.

"This was my father's mother's ring." He saw a sparkle in Lucy's eyes. "She wanted me to give it to someone who deserved my heart." Freed pecked her temple. "You have my heart, my love."

"Stop with the mush," cried out Laxus, causing a shiver to run down his spine. "This is one of the reasons I don't want a mate now."

"What," asked Bickslow with a big grin on his face. "Afraid that your tough guy attitude will finish?"

"Something like that," answered the blonde male. "Let's get to the guild and let Gramps know the changes with our team." He grumbled, "He's not going to believe this."

After a few minutes, the group of five mages left Freed's house. Making their way to the guild. Lucy had grabbed the paperwork into her bag, in case their guild master needed to read it himself. When they had reached the doors of the guild, they heard massive amounts of talking and crashes.

Laxus glanced at Lucy and Freed. Seeing the blonde woman near her magically bonded husband. "This is going to get ugly if someone throws something at you, Blondie. So stay close. Don't want you to be the cause of someone's death…"

When the group filed into the guild. Laxus jumped in front of the group, powering his lightning into a punch. Just as a table was about to hit them. Shattering the wooden furniture into massive tiny pieces. Making the guild at large to stop what they were doing to see, who had destroyed the incoming table.

"Does anyone with brains know not to throw things?!" Laxus glared at everyone, while they fell into whatever seat they could find and sat down. Leaving a lone figure standing in the middle of the room, looking around.

"Hey, why did everyone stop?"

Lucy sighed, "Why am I not surprised."

Causing the figure to turn around with a cheesy grin on his face. "Hey, Luce! Where have you been?" He came running up to the blonde woman, causing her to duck behind Freed. "What's wrong, Luce? Why won't you let me get a hug?"

Freed closed his eyes, trying to fight the urge to hit the fire slayer before him. "Because she doesn't want one, Natsu."

The pink-haired man stopped before the two, giving the Rune Mage a glare. "What did you do to Luce?" He took a deep breath from his nose and stopped, glaring that the man before him. "Why do you two smell like one another?"

"We're mated, Natsu." Freed was surprised with himself that he was keeping calm with the slayer before him. He had once believed that he would have knocked the guy out if the slayer had gotten into his face. Like he was doing. "She and I, belong to one another."

The guild had once been quiet, was even more so as they were listening to what was being said. To say that everyone was surprised to learn what they've heard. May have well been an understatement. Causing the Thunder Legion to wonder if anyone was going to fall at any moment from the shock.

THUMP! Thump!

Everyone glanced towards the bar and saw Mira's legs popped up from behind the counter. Along with their master lying on top of the bar. It then dropped the rest of the guild like flies, except for the dragon slayers, the Thunder Legion, and Lucy.

Natsu raised his eyebrow for a moment. Glancing at Lucy with sorrow in his eyes. "We're partners Luce." He looked lost. "Why did you become this man's mate? Weren't we happy?"

Gajeel laughed from where he sat. "Gihi!" He shook his head. "Salamander! Bunny Girl found her man to have children with. You can't give her children if she's not YOUR mate!"

Natsu gave the iron dragon slayer a glare, enough to know that he held his fire within. "Shut up, Metalhead. I would have given her children if she wanted them!" He then turned to his blonde friend. "We were supposed to be together, Luce. We were supposed to rid the world of darkness!"

Freed growled at the fire slayer. "Our magic bonded us, Natsu! She is my mate, my wife and there is nothing that you or anyone else can do about it." He kept himself between the two friends. Showing Natsu that he met what he said. "She is also quitting Team Natsu as of now! She'll be joining Thunder Legion."

"You can't-do that," cried Natsu as he tried to show his dominance over the situation. "You just can't take Luce away like that… she's part of my team!"

"If she was apart of your team, as you've said. Then why did you leave her behind?" He saw the fire behind the slayer's eyes dull. "You took off with Lisanna, without so much of a word to Lucy."

An elder's voice called out, "That's enough Freed. Let's get you and Lucy into my office and deal with what needs to be done."

"NO! Gramps you can't allow this to happen," cried out Natsu. As he was being held back by Erza and Gray, once they found their energy to fight him. "She was supposed to be my partner for LIFE!"

Lucy led the group up the stairs. Wanting to be far from Natsu's negative attitude. She knew that he may not be happy with what life was thrown at them. But she was happy. She didn't want to fight her best friend because he wasn't.

Once the door to the office had closed. Lucy fell into Freed's lap, just as he grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her. Feeling her uneasiness from hearing the ranting of angered fire slayer.

"Shh, it's alright love." Freed kept his calm as he brought her closer to him. "Natsu isn't going to harm anyone."

Makarov huffed as he sat upon his desk to look at each of the five people in his office. "That may be tested, but what's going on? You have to be clear so an old man, like me. Doesn't miss anything."

Laxus glanced at Lucy's bag and grabbed the papers that he knew were in there. Then placed them in front of his grandfather for him to read. After a few moments of reading, he glanced up into the dark green eyes of Freed's. "You two are bonded by the ancient rights of magic, because of the magic that you two held?"

"Apparently," stated Freed, letting his arms loose. After feeling Lucy wanting to sit up. "I knew because of our magic being different that we would be bonded. But I didn't know that it causes us to be married. Even though it was my wish to marry her, in the near future anyway."

"Okay," breathed out the elder man. Rubbing his hand across the face. "Tell me; is it, because of the darkness that you have to power. It wanted to be mated to Lucy, because of her power of light?"

"Yes, just like dragon slayers that find their mates. Our magic balances us out, to where I'm not going to be overruled by my darkness." He rubbed his hand down Lucy's thighs, helping her to relax after feeling her tense up. Knowing that she could hear Natsu yelling from downstairs. "Because of this, I can't be far from Lucy. She's the only reason to help me from losing control."

"Have you lost control of your darkness before," asked the guild master.

Bickslow sighed from where he sat on his totems. "It does happen from time to time, master. We were just lucky to get him back to his normal self. But…" He glanced at his friend for a moment. "...there were times that we were almost unable to."

Freed closed his eyes. "It started to get worse." He took a deep breath and glanced into Makarov's eyes. "During the Grand Magic Games, after seeing Lucy getting hurt. It was when I was starting to have trouble holding the darkness back." He then glanced at Lucy, for her to see his eyes. "When she had gotten captured. It nearly drove mad by wanting to find her."

"Why didn't you say anything," asked the guild master with pain in his eyes. "I would have understood that you wanted to be in the party to get her back. I would have allowed it!"

"I didn't understand at the time," stated Freed with sorrow in his eyes. "I didn't know that my darkness wanted to save her. But it was one of the final reasons why I wanted to keep her safe. Watching from the shadows, until she needed me to protect her."

The elder man grumbled before reaching into his desk and pulled out some paper. He handed it over to Lucy. "Fill this out to transfer teams. I'll make a copy of your marriage certificate for my records. Then after tomorrow, you'll be able to work together."

They heard a crash from downstairs, causing everyone to flinch. "I'm sorry that this happened like this, Master Makarov."

The man waved his hand. "Nonces child," he glared at his office door. "Happiness and love out ways everything in life." He gave a smile towards the blonde. "Everything will even itself out in the end. In the meantime, I have a fire starter that I need to knock around." He had gotten up from his desk and went out of the door.

After hearing some shouting and things being thrown. Lucy went to work on filling out the paperwork that she was given. Adding a reason why she was changing teams.


	7. Chapter 7

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 7

The group of five mages, who were part of Thunder Legion sat around the team's table. Evergreen giving the minted-haired male a stern look. "I have to ask, where did going slow left your intelligent mind of yours?"

Freed glanced away, looking bashful. Trying to fight back a blush that was making onto his cheeks. Bringing Lucy closer to him. "I didn't realize I was going to be a very needy person…"

Evergreen glanced at Laxus and Bickslow, with a raised eyebrow. "Needy is that something that is a normal human male concept. Or something more?"

"Not normal," stated Bickslow with his totems echoing behind him.

Laxus grumbled, "Sadly it is one of the creature type needs." He shivered. "Dragon slayers go through it when they find the one they need." He then glanced towards Freed. "Must be true with other magic types. Like darkness…" Laxus leaned forward in his seat. "How did you get that side of your magic, anyway?"

"It's something that I learned during myself taught with runes." He smiled softly. "But the books I learned it from were a form of forbidden art and rightly so. If someone other than me had read them. We would have massive of Dark Guilds with my kind of magic out there. I usually use Dark Écriture as a last resort. At the time, I didn't know about the soulmate possibility to it."

"So does that mean with your wife around. We wouldn't have to battle you to get back to your regular self," asked Evergreen with hope in her eyes. "I mean when you're in the mood. You're really in the mood for a fight."

Lucy glanced over her shoulder to Freed with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you weren't big on fighting?" A smile graced her lips, as she saw a blush dusting his cheeks. "You're the intelligent kind of guy, aren't you?"

Freed gulped, "Yes I am, my love." He leaned against the railing that was next to him. "But there are moments that I have to let Dark Écriture out to deal with some uncontrollable issues." He looked into her eyes, while his eyes flashed to show his darkness through them. "I can let you know that if something happened to you. My other side will come out and destroy whoever harms you," his voice purred his darkness behind his words.

"Okay man," stated a thunderous voice. "I really can't handle this side of you," whined the man in charge of the group. "Too much lovey-dovey might ruin our group that we've had going."

Lucy giggled, causing everyone within the guild to glance at the group. Everyone was surprised to see her sitting with them, even though she was with Freed. The sound of her giggle rang throughout the guild.

"Oh come on Laxus," the blonde woman purred softly. "Don't make me go to Mira," she sang out softly.

He let a gulp sound come out. "Never mind," stated with a hint of fear in his voice. The blonde male pulled himself away from the table. "Freed," he glanced at one of his old friends. "Your girl isn't any fun, man."

A loud boisterous voice laughed from downstairs. Causing the group to glance over towards the Team Natus table. Seeing the pink-haired male laughing hard. "I hope you'll enjoy her lack of funness, Laxus!" Wiping some fake tears off his cheeks. "She's really great at that." Natsu shook his head, calming his breathing down. "I guess we can pick up some more dangerous jobs. Since Lucy wouldn't part of our team anymore."

Erza gave her teammate a glare. "She was doing just fine, Natsu. Lucy was lacking the confidence that she should have gotten from us." She took a drink of her tea that was before her. "She may lack in massive strength that we hold. But she holds more courage than an average mage, Natsu."

She gave a disappointed look to the fire dragon slayer. "Was your friendship with Lucy all an act? Or did you enjoy having someone to rescue all the time? Since you wouldn't stop doing so, whenever she was on a job with you."

The pink-haired man glanced down, as the whole guild was watching them. Lucy let out a sigh, shaking her head. She had her own thoughts on the same topics that Erza had brought up.

"I," Natsu spoke up after some time of silence. "I guess I enjoyed feeling like I was someone's hero." He glanced up at the red-headed woman before him. "I've known everyone in this guild since I joined. No one...looked at me like Lucy had. Like I could save the world… I don't know. It just felt good to have someone to look at me like that."

Gajeel spoke up from his corner. "Shit, Salamander! You wanted a following," the dark-haired slayer shook his head. "But where did you lose sight of family? It was what you preached when I first met you. Back when you kicked my ass during Phantom Lord." He glanced over towards Lucy, seeing the disbelief in her eyes. "Where did you lose sight of Bunny Girl being your best friend?"

"During the Eclipse Gate, after seeing her future self-dying before my eyes." Causing everyone to look at the fire slayer with fear in their eyes. "The night the dragons were let loose on the capital. The night I was trying to get her out of the castle."

Lucy glanced away from Thunder Legion's eyes. She didn't want to see what could be going through their eyes. She didn't want to see the fear and anger coming from Freed.

"Future Rogue killed her from preventing her from closing the gate." Natsu shook his head, as a few tears leaked out of his. "It was the scariest sight I've ever thought I would live through. I can live with the fact that I lost, Igneel. But I couldn't bear to see my life without her in it."

She felt his hold on her had gotten a little tighter, not enough to hurt. But enough to want to be close. "What else happened that night," asked Freed with a hint of a growl in his voice.

"The other Rogue was about to kill me," tears leaked out of Lucy's eyes. Trying to hold back the quivering in her voice. "She stepped in front of me." Lucy took a deep breath. "She died in my arms."

"Why is this the first that we've heard of this," asked Freed with calmness in his voice. Moving his arms over her's. Trying to give her a bit of comfort. "We should have had a right to know of this."

Natsu sighed, "I think we've made an unspoken agreement to not talk about it." He glanced over his shoulder. "Even Wendy didn't want to talk about it." He shrugged. "Why talk about it, if it's not going to happen."

Gray glared at his teammate. "We had a right to know, Natsu. She was our teammate." He glanced over to Erza with a determined look in his eyes. "Am I right, at least we would know what might have happened?"

"I agree," stated the she-knight. "Hiding stuff like this can break the team, Natsu." She glanced towards Lucy with worry in her eyes. "Maybe changing teams would do her good. She needs to grow into her magic, not having us holding her back."

Lucy couldn't help but smile. Knowing at least one of her old teammates was thinking out, what could be good for her. It also saddened her too. Seeing the pain that happened about a month or so ago, had affected her best friend. She knew that she should have sat down with me about the ordeal. But with everything that happened, she really didn't see the reason to do so.

Laxus grumbled, "I knew there was something off when Natsu ordered me to the castle that night." He glanced over to the fire slayer. "It was more than just Wendy's sake that you wanted me there. You wanted to make sure that someone else was there to watch over Blondie?"

Natsu sighed, "It was." He glanced over towards the blonde male. "I knew that even if I couldn't beat you in a fight. I knew that you were strong enough to keep her safe…" He glanced down in his hands. "Even when I couldn't."

Lucy tried to hold back the tears that so wanted to leak out of her eyes. She didn't know that Natsu had all of that going through his head, all this long. She felt Freed moving her to the seat next to her, before leaning over the rail.

"Natsu," Freed called out to the young male slayer below. "Know this that you did everything in your power to keep Lucy safe that night." Everyone saw that this was something that the pink-haired male needed to hear. "But know this, you will always be her friend. You just won't be the only person keeping her safe anymore."

Lucy glanced at her bonded husband with a surprised but heartwarming look in her face. A part of her was happy that he was reaching out to her friend. When she was unable to think what she should do for him. That wouldn't make him misread things.

Natsu sighed, he then glanced up to the man that was reaching out to him. "Do you mean that? Luce and I can still be friends, even though you two are mated?"

"Yes, Natsu." Freed smiled calmly towards the young man. "Why would I prevent the friendship of the man that brought the woman that we all love. In our own way that is. To the guild. Without you being her friend, how would have gotten to Fairy Tail?"

Bickslow chuckled, "You're a wise man, Freed." He shook his head. "I have to say if she was someone else's wife. I fear that they would be very possessive towards her."

"Oh don't give me wrong, Bickslow," Freed smirked towards his friend, sitting across from him. "I'm very possessive person, but I trust Lucy with all of my heart. I don't mean that I don't trust a lot of people with her. But I trust Natsu, enough that he wouldn't harm her. They have been friends far longer than I've known her."

He then glared towards the young male slayer. "But with that being said. I don't trust him as far as being alone with Lucy." Causing her to raise her eyebrow, when he faced her after feeling her tensed next to her. "If memory serves me right, he has snuck into her bed without permission. Hasn't he?"

"Yes," she answered. Lucy had no reason to lie. Plus it was against her magic to even try doing so.

"Since you will be moving in with me. I know stuff like that won't happen again." He then glanced towards Natsu again, seeing the deep hard confusion in his eyes. "We're married, Natsu. We have a right to live with one another."

"She is mated with you. She's moving into your team and your home!" Natsu glared at the minted-haired male with heat in his eyes. "Then when do I spend time with her?"

"At the guild," answered Lucy with her signature light sounding voice. "We can still be friends. Look at this way, Natsu. You'll be able to tell me about your jobs, without me spacing out because I was there."

"You mean," Natsu called out with happiness behind his words. "That you will actually listen to me, about my jobs! All because you weren't apart of it!" When he saw her nod. His grin pulled from his lips. "ERZA! We need to do a job!"

The guild started laughing after seeing Natsu jumping out of his seat. Running towards the job board. Marco chuckled the loudest, "Lucy." He shook his head, and then glanced at the young blonde woman. "You sure have a way with him. He can be a bum at one moment and the next, you have him jumping for joy."

Lucy gave a smile before she answered the man. "You just have to know enough to know what will get him to be happy. Talking about himself, when he's doing a job. Or the best option, food."

"Food," called out Natsu, after he had given the board a look. "Mira, I'm going to see some fire-chicken!"

The barmaid chuckled from where she stood at the bar. "Right up, Natsu!" She then turned towards the kitchen to get his order going.

Laxus groan, "I doubt you know anything about my team, Blondie." He allowed a smirk. "But I like to see you try."

The rest of the guild listened in, as Lucy glanced at each one of Thunder Legion a glance. "Well, Bickslow is into his pervert jokes. He likes women in general. He also likes to eat and drink Bascoian rare dishes." She saw the shock on the foolish knight, making her smile. "Not many people know this but your souls were once friends of your, at an early age."

"H...how?"

She then glanced towards Evergreen. "Evergreen wears green for a reason, other than it looks good on her. It's her signature that goes with her name that she started calling herself at a young age. Her goal has always been to be a fairy. It was one of the reasons she taught herself to be one. On a bad day, she goes for the deep rich milky chocolate that Seven could ever produce."

"M...my word," the green dressed woman cried out from her seat.

Lucy then turned towards Laxus, who gave a worried look. "Laxus, even though you're hard to read at times. I've found that you like your rich style in clothes. You believe that image is everything. You don't like using your dragon slayer abilities. Because it doesn't give you the even playing field when dealing with your opponents." She smirked when she saw that she was getting to him. "You even use music to calm the overwhelming sense of uncontrol that you believe is in your veins. Then again, lightning is a force of its own without adding unneeded emotion behind all that."

Laxus let out an uneasy sounding gruff. Letting everyone know that with his few words. He was impressed that she knew so much about him.

Lucy then turned to Freed. "Freed and I have come from similar backgrounds that it's really not needed to be voiced. But I do know because of his magic, he prides himself with words and rules. Without either of those, he might as well be lost."

Makarov spoke up from his place at the bar. "I really need to rethink about who would be the master of this guild." Causing everyone to glance at the elder man. "Even though I want Laxus to be one. It looks like Lucy would be a better option. She has more insight of things that I've never thought before."

Laxus let out of a sigh, "Please." The blonde male glance at the older man. "I hate paperwork. Give it to Blondie, all I care!" He shook his head after seeing Lucy, having shock written across her eyes. "Don't give me that look. I may have wanted to have the guild because I didn't like how others looked at it. But I'm a big enough man to realize that it really isn't for me. I enjoy going away from this place and helping others."

Lucy glanced over at Freed with worry in her eyes. "I didn't mean to cause an uproar for your team." Then she glanced over towards everyone else in the building. "Or the guild."

He smiled, rubbing his hand over her thigh. "No, I think the guild needs a new mindset. Which is what the master is simply stating. Yes, it is good to have family within a guild. But it's better to know that it can thrive with a mindset worth handing off to." He gave a chuckle. "Even if you do happen to become master, I would just work alongside you, anyway."

"Don't you have to be an S-class mage to even be a master?" Lucy glanced at everyone to see if she wasn't wrong about her assessment. But saw no answer in sight.

"That reminds me," stated Makarov. "I'm going to have to plan for the next trails."

At that moment Mira came out and gave the order that Natsu had called for. After a few moments of him eating. He rushed off, dragging the rest of Team Natsu to follow. Letting everyone know that everything will be alright. Even though lives were changing. Some things were worthwhile seeing that a few things, will never change.

Freed let out a sigh, "Come, my love." He smiled towards the blonde woman next to him. "We should get to your apartment to set things up for your move."

"Alright," stated Lucy with a smile. She didn't know what else to do or say. She leads him out of the guild. Realizing that her life was changing. Lucy couldn't find it in herself to fight back against the changes in her life. For some reason, it just felt so right. A whole lot better than the changes that her father wanted to do for her. Even though life was not how she had planned. Then again, she was part of Fairy Tail.


	8. Chapter 8

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 8

At Lucy's old apartment, where she called out Virgo for help. Freed convinced Lucy to have her spirit to just load everything into the Spirit World. Then later go through things later. So she went to her landlady to have a word with her.

Lucy had knocked on the woman's door. "Hello, what I can I do for you?"

"I'm moving out," stated Lucy with calmness in her voice. "I had gotten married and I'll be moving into his place."

"Married," asked the landlady. "Good for you, dear. When do you think you might be moved out?"

"Since I have my spirits helping. It looks like I could be moved out by today."

The woman nodded. "If I'm not here. Just slide the keys under the door." She gave Lucy a kind smile. "I guess I wouldn't have worry about the fire-breather breaking in, anymore. Or causing so much damage around here, again."

Lucy allowed herself to giggle. "No, you wouldn't have to worry about him."

"Whatever it's worth, deary." The landlady smiled with warmth. "Keep yourself from harm. You're a sweet girl, who really doesn't need harm rushing at you."

"Thank you," Lucy smiled before leaving her landlady's doorstep. When she found herself back in her old apartment. She saw that everything was gone. "Did Virgo get everything?"

"Yes," chuckled Freed. "She got everything. Even your letters and your manuscript that you've been working on." He had walked away from the counter that he was leaning on and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Ready to head for home, my love?"

A giggle left Lucy's luscious lips. "I guess so." She leads Freed back to the landlady's place and gave her the keys before leaving. Then the two left the property behind.

"On second thought, we should head to the guild and eat dinner there." Freed smiled, when he saw her sparkle for a moment. "That way Virgo isn't overdoing herself cooking all day for us. I mean, she's a good cook and all. I just don't want to overuse your spirits like that."

"That is another reason I love you, Freed." Once the words left her lips, she slapped her hand over her mouth. "Ooopps."

Freed's eyes sparkled as his lips pulled back into a smirk. "You love me," he started his deep chuckle. "It's alright to say such things, my love." He walked towards her, bringing her closer to him. Rubbing his nose against her neck, near the place that he placed her mark. "Because I love you, too. Why do you think I call you, my love?"

"An endearing pet name?"

His eyes flashed a darker shade, showing his inner darkness. "It's mainly my darkness allowing me to feel like this." He kissed her temple, feeling her relax in his arms. "Lucy, I know this is all very new to you. You have to understand that this is all new to me, too." He pulled away to lace his fingers with hers. "Come, let's enjoy the rest of the night with friends."

Lucy couldn't help but smile, allowing the green minted-haired man lead her back to the guild. Once there, they walked towards the bar. It was there that Freed and Lucy ordered their meal, but Mira asked Lucy to stay behind to talk.

The barmaid gave a harsh looking smile. It was enough to show that Lucy had better sit upon a stool and allow the white-haired woman talk to her. So Lucy sat down and took a deep breath for what was coming.

"Did you know that it was going to end this way," asked a smirking demon woman before her.

"No," stated Lucy calmly. At least as calm as she was going to feel. "I had no idea that this would happen."

Mira leaned into the counter with heat behind her eyes. "Do you know if someone else might have, a so call mate?" Her eyes glanced up towards the upper floor, letting Lucy know who she was asking about.

Lucy smirked knowingly. "I might," she allowed herself to purr out. Causing Mira to jump back a bit, with a surprised look in her eyes.

"Lucy," she gasped. "I don't know if you knowing the legion is a good thing or not." She shook her head but leaned back towards the counter. "Well?"

"You," Lucy giggled, seeing the pleading look in her friend's eyes.

"Really," Mira asked with uneasiness in her voice. "Then why won't he," she glanced up towards the blonde male. "...he wouldn't…"

"He's afraid of having one," stated Lucy with sorrow in her voice. "You're going to have to bold, daring. Be the alpha female I know you can be," she whispered with a conviction for her friend. "Just walk up to him and kiss the living life out of him. He can't fight something that is that direct."

"Is that what happened with you and Freed," asked Mira with wonder in her voice.

"No," Lucy shook her head with a smile. "Music took control of our...emotions and the rest worked out on its own." She shook her head. "I never knew music could do such a thing. Be a magic of its own to cause and effect of one's emotions." She leaned onto one of her hands. "It sure gives another perspective for an author that is for sure."

Cana laughed loudly from her seat at the bar. "You go, girl!" Causing Lucy to blush from where she sat, glaring at the drunken woman. "You needed a man to rock your world!"

Lucy sighed, "Cana! I really think you need to hold back," she glared at her brunette friend. "Not many believe that romance is something to be played out in life like you think it does."

"Sex is sex, Lucy. Everyone needs some," stated the outspoken woman. "Speaking of which, I need to get a man for the night. Any takers!" She glanced around and then called out, "Bickslow, are we good for the night?!"

"Not tonight, Cana," called out the man from upstairs. He sounded slightly hurt from the drunken woman.

"Oh, bummer." She glanced into her drink. "He usually comes home with me if I offer." She shook her head. "I must be missing something." She then glanced over to Lucy. "Do you know something," she asked with heat in her voice and eyes.

"No," Lucy shook her head. She didn't want to be put in the middle of her new teams' romantic lives. It was enough that everyone knew about hers with Freed. At least enough that they were comfortable, to say the least. She then glanced over to Mira, giving a nod before leaving the bar to make her way to the table.

She sat down by Freed, across from Laxus. The massive man was lost in his music from what Lucy could see. Giving her the comfort of knowing he didn't know what she was talking with Mira about.

Bickslow let out a huff, glancing over his shoulder to Cana before facing Lucy. "What's with her deal today?"

"She is having an itch problem," blushed Lucy, glancing down in her lap. "She thought you might up to help her."

"I…" The foolish knight sighed. "I guess I'm getting tired of the same old routine when it comes to women." He pulled his helmet off, raking his fingers through his messed up hair. "After seeing how you and Freed act like after one night together. I guess I'm kind of jealous that I may be wanting the same."

"You," stated Evergreen with a surprised look in her eyes. "The well know bachelor, want a relationship?"

"It's not that I never wanted one," stated the lost looking man. "It's mainly not many people trust me with my magic. Being a Seith Mage, kind of sucks when it comes to...wanting people to stick around." He shook his head. "You're the only first friends I ever had, except for my babies."

Freed smiled as he leaned over the table to get his friend to look at him. "You'll find your one, Bickslow." Causing the bummed looking man to give a small smile. "I mean it. It may happen soon or later. But you'll find your own lady. You just haven't met her yet."

Laxus pulled his music away from his ears to look at his friend. "He's right Bickslow. You might know her now, but you will down the road." He gave a smirk. "I'll be surprised if you found her while we're traveling to the next job. Once Blondie and Freed are up to doing a job soon."

The soul man chuckled, "I just hope it isn't Virgo." He shivered. "She gave me the run down this morning when she talked about punishment and everything." He chuckled darkly. "I'm not really into all that kinky stuff."

"Your outfit states otherwise," stated Evergreen with a giggle. "But since we're on the topic of romance. Who is your type of woman that you would like to have in your life?"

"Someone who isn't afraid of my magic," stated Bickslow with hope in his voice. His eyes going out of focus as he became deep in thought. "I don't care what she would look like. Just someone for me to love…" He let a sigh leave out of his lips, as he took a drink of his drink that was in front of him.

Lucy smiled at her new friend. She did hope that he found love. An image of a girl that she grew up came into her mind at that moment. Someone that her father had to adopt, hoping that she would be a friend to Lucy. Sure they became the pain in the butt sisters to each other. ' _I wonder how Lacy is? I haven't seen her...before I left for Tenrou Island.'_ She placed a finger over her chin, tapping. ' _She was fourteen when I last saw her… She would be twenty-one today.'_

"Where are you, my love," called out Freed as he saw her deep in thought. She glanced over at him, blinking as her eyes focused on him. "Where were you?"

"Sorry," she blushed for a moment. "I was thinking about my adopted sister." She took a deep breath. "For some reason, she came to mind."

"When was the last time you've seen her?"

"Before the S-class trials." She shook her head, giggling as another image came into her mind. "I never really got along with her. Even though she looked up to me. Seeing me calling my spirits." A groan left her lips. "I was a bad, big sister."

"Why were you laughing then," asked Freed with a smile upon his face.

"I realized that I'm no longer the elder sister, she is." Then food popped up before her and Freed, knowing that Mira had shown up. "I just wonder where she is?"

Mira gave a smile towards the legion table before facing everyone else. "Is there anything else I could get you, all?"

Bickslow smirked, "I'll have the Bascoian wrap with that sweet sauce that I like. Also another beer."

Evergreen sighed, "Chicken, bacon, ranch wrap with extra chicken. With some spiked raspberry lemonade."

Laxus grumbled, "Steak, eggs, hash browns, country gravy, sowardoub pancakes. Along with hot butter rum."

"Okay," Mira smiled before leaving the table with the orders to deal with.

Lucy started eating her lemonade chicken wrap, cottage cheese, and sweet potato fries. Along with her spike strawberry lemonade. While Freed was eating some similar to Lucy's except for lemonade, he had orange chicken. Along with his own drink, which he ordered spiced tea. Once the others had gotten their food. Mira had rushed Laxus with a deep kiss before leaving the table, causing a deep rolling growl to leave his lips. It wasn't threatening, but something on the line for others to warn about.

The blonde male glanced at the blonde female with a raised eyebrow. "Why do I have a feeling that you had given her the idea?"

Lucy kept eating her food. Not wanting to answer the question that she knew that had already known that answer too. She just wasn't brave enough to voice it. Plus she didn't give her word to answer him.

"Hmhmm, I thought so." Stated Laxus before he started laughing. "Any other tips you're going to give to other people?"

"Nope," Lucy smiled. "Elfman is too much of a man to even try to egg him on. I would have resort to daring the man to do something."

"Who is daring me to man what," asked the loud voice of the only Strauss male.

Laxus laughed loudly, after seeing the startled look from Lucy at their table. "Blondie is daring you to give a manly kiss to Evergreen!"

"Is that so," stated the white-haired male with a heated glare. "I'll show you how manly a kiss can be." He had gotten upon his feet and made his way up the stairs.

Evergreen glared at Lucy and Laxus. "I'm going to kill the two of you," she hissed at them.

A moment later, Elfman picked Evergreen from her seat and gave her a heated kiss. After a moment of a few moans, Elfman let Evergreen go. A blush litten his cheeks. "Humm…. I'll see you later…" He then walked back down the stairs, leaving Evergreen standing where he left her. Speechless.

After a moment of just standing there. She found her way back to her seat again. Gaping at her friends before allowing her brain to work again.

Bickslow whistled, "Damn Ever, you're on your way…" He shook his head, laughing wholeheartedly. "Whoever imagined that she would be speechless after a kiss from Elfman?" He then glanced towards Lucy with worry in his eyes. "Don't do that if you find a girl for me… I wouldn't know what to do."

The blonde-haired woman smiled. "If I had it my way. I would have found my sister and have you hook up." She took a drink. Lucy saw the surprised look from the Seith Mage. "What?"

"You would trust me with your, once little sister? All I have to say is why?"

Lucy gave a small smile. "I know you're a good man, Bickslow." Surprising the Thunder Legion as a whole, other than Freed. "Knowing Lacy would just drive you nuts with questions about your magic." A thought came to her at that moment. "I think the last time I talked to her, she was able to see souls for some reason."

"What to do mean," asked Bickslow with interest.

"I mean, she sees ghosts. She also sees different colors of people's souls." Lucy giggled, "It was enough that she could read dad, even to know when it was a bad time to talk to him."

After that talk around the table become light and joking. After a few hours after everyone had eaten. They decided to head for their homes. Tomorrow they would start planning on taking a job for the following day. Knowing it would have been enough time for the bonded pair to feel comfortable enough to do a job with the team.

Lucy had thought about her sister once more. ' _Why do I have a feeling I'm going to see you soon, Lacy?'_


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Sorry it's been awhile, I had to move and being sick wasn't nice. Hope you're enjoying the story.

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 9

After a couple of days, Lucy and Freed were packed to go on a couple days journey to Peace Village. Where a flyer they picked up stating that they needed to track down a few dark mages. Who have been wandering near the village. It was enough to tell Lucy that she would have a plan out what spirits to use for what reasons. She always tried to plan ahead. But she always had to recheck her plans because of Natsu rushing in without warning. She just hoped that she wouldn't have to with the Thunder Legion.

She decided to wear jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket with shoes. After she had packed her stuff from her apartment. She decided to have Virgo to switch out her wardrobe for sensible clothes. Stating that she was tired of having her clothes ripped off during a battle. It was time to dress like a sensible woman.

It was enough for Virgo to do a massive shopping spree for Lucy. Knowing that the blonde was never really in the mood to do so. She couldn't pinpoint when she hated shopping. Then a memory of the last time she went shopping with Erza, it was enough to not want to show her face in town for months. Erza had nearly had a shopkeeper in a headlock for not having the right armor that she was looking for.

Time to have slipt on by for Lucy, because she found herself at the train station. Being boarded and being lead to a compartment by Freed. Once they sat down, she fished a book out of her bag to read.

Laxus grumbled, "Why aren't you readying yourself for the mission, Blondie?"

"I know enough about my spirits to have some kind of plan. But without knowing all the information, I'm going to have to adjust those plans later." She glanced up to see his storm-colored eyes to see that he understood her meaning. "Until we talk to the mayor, I'm going to have to plan afterward."

He nodded, then the whole compartment quieted down. Just a few seconds before the train started up. Lucy was glad that she didn't have to hear Laxus moan as much as Natsu tends to do. Seeing that he tends to faze out with his music.

Lucy opened her book of collection of William Shakespeare. It was something that she loved, something that reminded her mother the most. Layla reading his plays for bedtime stories that weren't about the stars. She enjoyed Macbeth, because of the imagination behind the play and the desire of it all.

Freed glanced over her shoulder. "Shakespeare," he asked with happiness in his voice. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind."

Lucy smiled, "I love that quote."

Bickslow sneezed. "What again?"

Freed chuckled at his old friend. "When looking for love, you shouldn't use your eyes to do so. But with the mind and your heart. Because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."

"Better be a witty fool than a foolish wit," stated Lucy with humor in her voice.

Evergreen giggled, "That sounds like Bickslow. He is a witty fool, especially on a job."

"Hahaha, laugh it up, people." Bickslow allowed a small smile. "Witty fool indeed."

"There's daggers in men's smiles," stated Laxus from his seat.

"You know Macbeth," asked Lucy and Freed at the same time.

"Only quote worth remembering," he glanced towards the window.

Freed smirk as he glanced towards Lucy with lust in his eyes. "Stars, hide your fires, let light not see my black and deep desires."

Lucy bit her lips after hearing his luscious baritone voice quote that one. His voice alone had caused shivers to run down her spine. She could only think of wicked desires that he had for her if the nights the shared was enough to go by. She had forgotten about that quote of Shakespeare's.

"It is not stars that hold our destiny but in ourselves," spoke Lucy quietly. She knew this quote because her mother made sure that while studying the stars. She would knew the stories behind them. She didn't want her to be caught in them enough to believe that they hold the power in people's lives. Because we hold our destinies in our hands, by the choices we make.

Evergreen sighed, "As much as I enjoy seeing you two quote things with such poetry. I think it's time for us to enjoy the peace and quiet before the mission starts."

So the rest of the train ride was passed through the sounds the rocking of the train. After a few hours of travel, they found themselves at their stop. Everyone piled out of the train with their belongings. After everyone had walked a bit of ways from the train. They agreed to check into the hotel before facing the mayor. Once the rooms were paid, they dropped off their things and then headed for the mayor's office in town.

When the group walked into the mayor's office, they were greeted by a young woman packing her things into a box. She glanced up, with what the group believed to be a practiced smile. "Hello, welcome to Mayor Jonas' office. How can I be of assistance to you, today?"

"Lacy," called out Lucy with worry in her slightly happy tone of voice. Causing the young woman to glance towards the voice. "Lucy?"

The blonde haired Celestial Mage came running towards the woman. Wrapping her arms around her. A woman, who looked no older than Lucy. With long flowing dark red hair and blue-green eyes that leaked at its corners.

Lucy pulled away from the young woman with worry in her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Lacy gave a small sad smile. "Got myself fired for telling the mayor that he had an appointment with some Fairy Tail Mages. Without having the guild informing me in time before he left the office." She glanced at the group that was standing behind Lucy. "I see that you've traveled with them."

The blonde gave a nervous smile. "You know that I've been in Fairy Tail."

"Yeah," answered the redhead. "But with an uncontrollable firebreather," her tone was between loving and harsh. It was enough to show the group that they had been sisters, at least growing up with one another.

As the sisters talked. Bickslow was fighting with himself of not waltzing up to the girls. Flirting famously with the red-headed woman. He knew that he was going to have to treat her far different than he had ever treated anyone before. ' _She's the very image that I've dreamt for many a year.'_ A sigh left his lips, enough to only allow his Dragon Slayer of a friend to hear.

Laxus leaned towards his friend; whispering, "What's wrong Bicks?"

"Nothing," stated the knighted fool. He glanced towards the tall blonde. "Just enjoying the image before me."

"Where are you going from here, Lacy," asked her sister with worry in her eyes.

The red-headed woman shook her head. "Don't know," she glanced out of the office's window. "I think I've not welcome in this town." She glanced down as she placed more things in the box before her. "At least when the mayor leaves the office today. The town will know about my odd...ways."

Freed walked towards the girls with a smile, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulders. "You could always come back to Magnolia with us." He saw the surprised but happy look in Lucy's eyes. While Lacy looked worried. "I'm sure our guild master wouldn't mind having you there."

Bickslow took a chance and walked towards the redhead with a kind smile. "The master would definitely like to have you work for him." He gave a heartwarming chuckle. "He really hates surprises."

"Really," Lacy asked with warmth making it's way into her eyes, causing them to sparkle. "I would like to work somewhere that I don't have to hide my talents." She then glanced at the man that was close to her, seeing that he was dressed oddly for the most part. "Why are you dressed that way? You look like a foolish knight."

Bickslow allowed a chuckle that went deeper than before. He had heard many things before, even from his friends. But for some odd reason, he was not offended when the choice words that Lacy had used. "I'm a Seith Mage," he stated calmly, which he had never felt such calmness before.

Lacy glanced down, trying to hide a blush from forming on her cheeks. Once she believed that the heat in her cheeks had calmed. She glanced towards Lucy, "I'll let the mayor know that you're here." She walked around her sister and the minted-haired man to reach the door and opened it. She leaned in for a moment. "Mayor Jonas," she called softly towards the aging man at the far side of the room.

"Yes, Heartfilia," asked the man as he glanced at the paperwork before him.

"Fairy Tail is here, sir."

He glanced up with heat in his eyes, "Show them in." He glanced down for a moment and called out again. "And Heartfilia, make sure you pack all your stuff before they leave."

"Yes, sir." Lacy pulled away from the door and closed it, facing the people that were in the room with her. "He'll see you, now." She made her way to her desk and rushed through everything to get out of her desk.

The group had heard the man's harsh tones towards Lucy's sister. They knew it was better to leave her to deal with the mayor. So everyone piled into the office fo the mayor, leaving the redhead to her sorting. The group made their way towards the desk, where the man was looking through his papers but none felt the need to sit.

The mayor glanced up to see the people before him. He gave a cold looking smile, as he looked at the mages before him. "Thank you for coming to our small town. We've been having some dark mages coming in…" He glanced at his desk for a moment before finding a file and opened it. "They've come in during the midnight hours, either stealing from stores or homes. They seemed to be looking for something."

Lucy asked, "Can I see your file, sir?"

"Sure, Miss…?"

"Heartfilia, Lucy Heartfilia."

"Jude's daughter," asked the man with worry in his voice.

"Yes," she gave a glare before nearly ripping the file from his fingertips. "Why is my sister leaving?" Lucy glanced at the file for a moment before glancing towards the man, who looked pale.

"Are...are you aware that your sister…" He glanced around for a moment with uneasiness in his body language. "...that she has...unusual abilities?"

"What about them," Lucy asked with heat in her eyes but calmness in her voice. She knew had to deal with men like him before. She even had to deal with her own father, since growing up. "You do realize that you've called in a group of mages to deal with trouble in your town, don't you?"

Laxus and the Thunder Legion had a good sense of mind to take a few steps back. They knew from experience by being in the guild to know some things about the kind Celestial Mage. It was a few things that you really don't mess with. Those that she views a family and good friends, and knowing which tones to keep an ear out for. It was knowing the tone that had them stepping back.

Lucy closed the file and threw it to Freed, without even looking and glared at the mayor. "You do realize that she's also the daughter of Jude Heartfilia as well?" She saw the man nodded, while her glare darkened. "Just know this, if we weren't so honored bound about getting this job done for you. I guarantee it that we would have left town and allow this...so dark mages run you out of it."

Freed whispered under his breath, "I have a half a mind to do that…"

Mayor Jonas gave her a harsh glare. "You wouldn't allow any harm to the people, would you?"

"It's not the people that I would allow the harm to happen," she gave a harsh sassy tone towards the man. "Why do you even have a hard time with mages anyway, not all of them are power hungry."

"You're right," stated the man with fear in his eyes. "But having all that power and not having any kind of restriction is what I have an issue with."

"I do see where you're coming from, sir." Lucy gave an understanding look in her eyes. "But you need to realize that we are governed by those with the power to oversee us. So we don't have bigger issues than what we have today." She then glanced towards Freed, seeing him lost in the file that she gave him. "See anything odd?"

"Yes, they are looking into some keys." He glanced up towards Lucy with worry laced into his loving eyes. "Celestial keys." Freed walked up to the desk and placed the file back on it. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Laxus grumbled, "Great." He glanced towards his group. "We're going to have to use Blondie as bait."

"That is out of the question," growled out Freed as his eyes became dark. Allowing his Darkness to take over for a moment. "I won't allow it."

Lucy glanced at her new team with worry in her eyes. She knew that she may have to be bait in order to catch the dark mages. But to have Laxus state things without concerning her husband, was a little uncalled for. She knew that they were good friends long before getting involved with Freed. But the blonde brute should know his friend well enough without hurting him.

Lucy turned towards the mayor with cold indifference in her eyes. "I'll take my sister on our way out, shall I?" She didn't want to add anymore drama in front of the man that was necessary. But he at least had caused at least one of them. She glanced at her group. "We should go somewhere and plan this out." After leaving office without the knowledge that they were following. She grabbed her sister and left the building.

Lucy glanced at her sister with a hopeful look. "Do you have a place where we can talk," she asked while looking around. "Someplace that none would overhear us?"

Lacy nodded, she gave a sad smile. "Yeah, my house." She glanced at the group that was following them. "I can even allow you guys to cook… I know you must be hungry about now."

So Lucy and the Thunder Legion followed Lacy to her home. Hoping that the group would come up with a plan. Knowing that the dark mages would be coming soon enough.


	10. Chapter 10

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 10

Everyone had gathered around Lacy's kitchen table. Surprisingly it was Bickslow. Who was cooking for everyone, while Evergreen watched over his shoulder. Making sure he was putting together the right foods that would go together.

Lucy was sitting next to her sister with a worried look in her eyes. "Sorry that you had to get fired, knowing that we were coming."

Lacy waved her hand, letting Lucy know to drop it as she took a drink of her tea. "Stop Lucy, it was bound to happen." Her eyes were pleading for her to understand. "Everyone tends to fear my gifts more than anything." She placed her cup down, as she glanced into it. Hoping to be able to see what fate had in store for her. "Father was the only man, who didn't."

Lucy smiled, "Did you know anything about a clock, which I had to solve…?" She gave a thoughtful look for a moment. "About a few months ago."

The red-headed woman smiled, "I knew of it but it wasn't anything father wanted me to solve." She shook her head. "You know, he never gave up hope on you." Seeing the surprised look in the blonde's eyes. "Knowing that Fairy Tail was the guild that gave his daughter a backbone."

"I had gotten his letter," Lucy nodded. She glanced up towards her sister. "Why didn't come and see me?"

"I did." Seeing the confused look, not just on Lucy's face but also the others. "I think it was right after the Grand Magic Games that I came to your guild. It was lively," she giggled.

She remembered walking through the doors of the guild. People drinking, shouting. Even outdoing each other with some kind of strength or magic. Lacy had hoped that she would run into her sister, without having to take another day off work to do it. But she had found no such luck, as she glanced throughout the lively guild.

"I talked with barmaid that day. She said that you had some issues with your keys...or something close to that." Lacy saw understanding in her sister's eyes. "So what happened, the Spirit World went to war or something?"

The blonde woman glanced down with sadness in her eyes. "That's pretty close to what had happened…" Her brown eyes nearly teared up when they glanced into the red head's blue-green eyes. "My keys got corrupted after the Eclipse Gate, causing every one of them to go dark…" She shook her head. "It was hard seeing them like that, it pained me."

Bickslow laughed in the background, "From what I've heard from Gajeel. Nearly everyone turned into star clusters."

Freed turned towards his friend after seeing the uncomfortable look in Lucy's eyes. "That's not funny, Bickslow. How would you like seeing your friends be possessed by your magic without your consent?"

"Now you put it that way," stated the foolish looking knight. "My bad…"

Lacy felt bad for bringing something dark that happened to her sister's keys. Then someone popped into her head that caused her to ask, "Can I see my water spirit?"

The blonde woman gasped. Nearly forgetting that one over spirits was her sister's favorite. "I don't know Lacy…"

"Please Lucy," her voice sounding a bit of a plea. The tone of voice that she always used when they were younger.

"Grrrr," Lucy glared at her once younger sister. "Have I told you that I hate you?"

Everyone in the room; who weren't the sisters, were shocked. They never heard or seen Lucy be hateful towards anyone. Then again; it might because of the mermaid, who washes Lucy away a lot of times.

Lacy gave a cheeky smile, "We all know that you could never hate anyone." Her voice brightened, then her eyes became dark as she shivered. "Unless it's the sickly duke that father tried to marry you off." She shivered from her chair. "Yuck, I was happy when father went into bankruptcy before marrying me off." Causing her to shiver even more.

"Who did father…?"

Lacy shook her head. "Lucy…," she growled out.

"It couldn't be that bad." She then saw the look in her sister's eyes and saw fear behind them. "Lacy," she asked with worry in her voice.

"H...have you...heard of," her eyes teared up. "...of Lahar?"

"WHAT," cried out everyone in the little house.

"Yeah," she squeaked. "Father got into a lot of trouble over Phantom Lord issue; with you, Lucy. It was enough that he was losing his business partners. After hearing from the Rune Knights coming to the house. Father was going to throw me to Lahar to sweep the issue under the rug."

Laxus had been quiet up to that moment. "What did the four-eyed sourpuss had to say?"

"I won't soil my hard work image on children." She giggled softly. "I never thought I would be pleased after hearing such words from him." Lacy gave a haunting smile. "Told father that not even a marriage contract would erase his wrongdoings."

Everyone was beside themselves. As they heard what Lacy was telling her sister about their father. It was enough to cause a few to want to hit something. Or in Bickslow's case, something more drastic than that.

"Wow," gasped Lucy. "With all the run-ins we've had with him. I would never have thought that I might want to hug the man."

Lacy glanced around for a moment. "Can you please bring Aquarius out, please? I would like to see her again."

"Oh," Lucy glanced around for a moment. "Do you have a place big enough to summon her...that's not in the house?"

"Yeah, I have a stream...just in the back." Lacy had gotten to her feet and grabbed Lucy before dragging her out back, where a stream ran across in the back area.

The blonde woman glanced at her sister before kneeling in front of the moving water. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her beating heart. Knowing that whenever she called her spirit, something usually goes bad. With one more glanced towards her sister, she knew she needed to do this for her. So without another thought, she called out for her water spirit.

"What do you want BRAT," the blue mermaid called to the small blonde woman.

"Aqua," cried out Lacy before rushing towards the spirit at a full run. Causing the angered mermaid to turn before being tackled to the ground.

"Lacy," asked the mermaid in disbelief, before looking towards Lucy. She wrapped her arms around the woman in her arms with tears in her eyes. After a few moments of allowing their tears to leak out of their eyes, Aquarius pulled the woman. "You've grown...beautifully."

"Aqua," gasped Lacy as more tears leaked out of her eyes. "I missed you...I wish father didn't chase Lucy away." She glanced down as despair came out of her voice. "I wish I was able to talk to you...during the years that you were all gone."

"I heard," growled the blue mermaid. "I didn't understand that it was you that was talking to Lucy… But I heard what Jude had done." She shook her head. "If that man was around...I don't think the king would have stopped me from killing him."

Tears leaked out of her eyes as she glanced at her mother figure. Even though as a child, Lacy knew that she was a spirit that only Lucy could call out. "You know, I've been so angry with you, Lucy."

Lucy gasped, she didn't know that Lacy had issues with her. Sure she knew that she wasn't the most loving sister. But she had no idea that Lacy was angry with her.

She turned to see her sister with sorrow eyes. "I hated that you didn't want to spend time with me." Lucy's heart nearly broke, after hearing what she had done. "You didn't allow Aqua to come out that often. And lastly, I hated that you left me with father…"

Lucy came and wrapped her own arms around Lacy, allowing Aquarius to hug both of them. "I'm sorry too, Lacy." The blonde was shaking from the things that she learned. "If only I had known, I would have taken you with me."

It was at that moment that Freed and Bickslow came out to where the girls were. Still hugging one another with the water spirit with them. If the guys were, to be honest, which may not happen often. But they were intimidated by her, because of the glare she gave them as they made their way closer to them.

"Well girls," stated the mermaid, causing everyone to focus on her for a moment. "I enjoyed the family gets together, but I need to get back… This would have been the only time I've held on a date with Scorpio." She saw the happiness that she saw within their eyes. "But I'm willing to come out again...soon. Maybe a girls day?"

Lucy smile, causing a bit of tears to leak out. "I would like that," she then glanced at Lacy. Seeing that her eyes had popped, making her laugh. "Oh, I would like that indeed!"

"I'm glad to see you two together again," her smile brightened as she noticed that both of them had smiled warmly. "I'll see you soon." With a swirl of gold sparkling light, she was gone.

"Are you alright," asked Lucy with a broken sounding voice. As she tried not to cry any more than she had.

"Yeah," stated Lacy, as she battled the same thing.

Bickslow and Freed glanced at one another. Before wrapping their arms around their desired girls. Lacy was surprised to find a man wrapping his arms around her. She glanced towards Lucy to see that she had a smile. Letting Lacy know that she was in good hands.

"Dinner is about ready," stated Bickslow, as he was trying to lead them back into the house.

The girls allowed the guys to lead them back inside and into their seats. Evergreen had started dishing the meal out to everyone. After dinner; everyone, even Lacy exited the house to hunt down the dark mages. The Fairy Tail mages had allowed her to lead them where she believed that the dark mages would hit. Since she had lived in the area, at least that was what Laxus had made them believe anyway.

She had led them to the edge of town that she had known them to have entered. She glanced around, seeing that the sun has already made its way over the mountains.

"They should be within the hour," she stated as her eyes glanced across the treeline in front of her.

Bickslow had been at her side, nearly most of the night. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "I'll stay close to you. I wouldn't want to get harm by working alongside us."

She gave him a look that told many that she wasn't sure about him. Then she turned her eyes towards her sister with a raised eyebrow. "Sister," she asked with a hint of uneasiness to it.

Lucy giggled, "Don't worry, Lacy. Bickslow is harmless." She saw the glare coming from the man in question, making her giggle even harder. "But he tends to get into people's bubbles without meaning to."

Evergreen sighed as she walked up to them, hitting Bickslow in the back of his head with her fan. (Ouch!) "I swear, I can't take you anywhere." She shook her head before turning toward the red-headed woman with a smile. "He just doesn't know how to express his feelings without hanging all over a woman."

"Feelings," squeaked Lacy with uneasiness before looking into the man's eyes. At least she tried with the visor on his face. "But you don't know anything about me!"

Laxus chuckled from where he stood, while his eyes raked across the forest around them. "It doesn't matter to Bickslow. If he believes you're worth his time. He'll invest his time with you." He then glanced towards the group around him. "I hear someone coming…"

Lucy, Lacy, and Bickslow stood behind everyone else. Getting ready for the upcoming attack. They were no longer going to use the blonde woman as bait, not after seeing the anger coming off of her husband.

They heard footsteps. Telling the Fairy Tail mages that there was definitely more. Than one person coming towards them. From the sound of things, they were not hiding the fact that they were coming.

When the footsteps became louder and louder. Until a group of people came out of the forest and into their line of sight. The group of five people in dark clothes, shown themselves. Each one of them with a wild look in their eyes. Letting the Fairy Tail mages know that they had found those that they were looking for.

"The Heartfilia girls," stated a deep dark voice. Causing the two girls to look at each other with worry in their eyes. "One that hasn't changed, while the other had grown gracefully…" The voiced chuckled darkly. While his green eyes shone with hunger in them.

"Lucy," whispered Lacy with fear in her voice. She had never had to go up against people like them before.

"There is a price on your heads," the man spoke again, causing cold chills to run down everyone's spines. "That's why we've been hunting keys, opening to draw at least one of you out." He glanced towards the light mages before him. "But I wasn't expecting for you to have company."

Laxus growled but glanced towards his friend beside him. "What do you think Freed?" It was then he saw that his friend was struggling to keep his right state of mind.

"Fight...now," the minted-haired man struggled to speak. "Talk...later." Just after he spoke, his darkness took over and threw himself into the fight.

It was then that everyone had found themselves going into battle. Lacy stayed between Lucy and Bickslow, who one had whipped anyone had gotten close. While the other had sicked his totems around them.

While the two were busy with their own opponent, one of the dark mages had gotten close and tried to grabbed Lacy. It was when she stepped hard on the man's foot before going after him with a punch into the stomach. Causing the man to fall to the ground. Lacy glared at the man until an arm wrapped around her waist. She tried to get out of the hold until she heard a voice, "It's me, Lacy."

The red-haired woman glanced over her shoulder and saw the foolish knight at her side. Causing her to take a deep breath. "Sorry," she gasped out.

"It's alright," he chuckled. He brought her closer, seeing that all the dark mages were being tied up. Bickslow gave a peck on her forehead, feeling relieved that she was alright.

"Bickslow, Freed. Take the girls back to the house," ordered Laxus, as he looked around. "We'll call the Rune Knights and we'll meet up after we're done here."

"Will you and Evergreen be alright," asked Freed as he shook off of his darkness form.

"Just go," piped up Evergreen, as she hit one of the mages with her fan. "We can handle things from here."

"Alright," sighed Bickslow. He leaned into Lacy, whispering, "I'm glad she's hitting them and not me."

Lacy giggled as she tried to hid her lips behind her hand. "You're affel."

Freed shook his head, as he walked towards the three with a smile. "Come, love," he glanced towards Lucy, as he took her hand. "Let's get away from all this drama."

The group of four, along with the floating totems had made it back to Lacy's house. Where they sat around the sitting room. Lacy allowed Bickslow to hold her since she was having a hard time dealing with the night's events.

"So," breathed Bickslow. "Where did you learn to fight?" He was trying to get her mind off of what happened. It wouldn't do her well to remember much of what happened.

"Father," Lacy answered with a small smile. "I was only able to learn the basics." She took a deep breath, as she lost herself in her mind with memories. "He believed that his daughters had to at least get themselves out of trouble." She shook her head and laughed. "His eyes popped out. When he found out that I was able to do the basics within a couple of weeks."

Lucy gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry Lacy...father wanted us to protect ourselves to a point." She shook her head, allowing a sigh to leave her lips. "He never wanted us to travel the world...to find ourselves."

Freed smiled fondly towards the blonde woman. "Don't allow it to eat you alive, my love." He kissed her forehead. "Don't allow the past to overshadow your happiness for the future."

"You're right, Freed." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, allowing him to hold her close to him. She glanced towards her sister, seeing her being a little uneasy. But also trying to feel comfortable being in Bickslow's arms. "I just wish for her happiness," she whispered to where only Freed could hear her.

As the four sat around the sitting room. They didn't have to wait long until Laxus and Evergreen had come back. Stating that the dark mages were handed over to the Rune Knights. All agreed that Laxus, Evergreen, and Bickslow will go to the hotel, while the rest would stay at Lacy's for the night. Agreeing that they will head back to Magnolia after seeing the mayor in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 11

The next morning, after talking to some of Lucy's spirits. They were able to pack Lacy's house itself, into the Spirit World. Once the group had gone back to Magnolia and set up some land to where they can place the house it. It would be when the house could be moved once again.

Lucy sighed after she and Lacy had gotten everything taken care of. Before the rest of the group from Fairy Tail had come back to them. "Are you ready?"

Lacy gave a sad look, as she glanced around the area that had once held her home. "I don't know Lucy...This was home for so long." She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to leak out of her eyes. "It's hard to just pick up and move...without so much as a compass."

The blonde-haired woman giggled. "You sound so much like father… How was he?" The two of them glanced into each other's eyes. Showing questions, hoping the other would answer. "How was he...in the end?"

Lacy smiled sadly. "He believed that you would come back...he never once thought otherwise." She glanced down towards the ground. "His dying wish was to see you...one last time."

"Did he change...after all that took place with him and Lahar?"

"Yes," Lacy smiled as she glanced up at her sister. "He changed," she chuckled softly. "He fell back in love with history again." A thought came rushing into her head, as a picture of their father was doing. The last time she saw him. "He was sitting at his desk, overlooking a book...of some kind. Saying that 'Lucy would be the key to our future or end.' I never understood him."

Lucy smiled softly. "I did, after the incident that is. I nearly lost my life to a clock. After finding that out…" She was remembering how she had faced the Oracion Seis for the second time. "It tested my mentality."

Lacy gave a thoughtful look. "The story, Keys of Starry Sky?" She glanced towards Lucy with a hard glare. "Father warned us about that story is true. Don't tell me you collected all the keys?"

"I...did…," Lucy's voice became small and distant. "As for my defense, Lacy. I really didn't understand father's message." She glanced towards the far off distance of the landscape. "It became known to me..to destroy the ancient clock."

"That's good to hear," Lacy shivered. "I would hate to know that our children's children would have to face something like that…" She took a deep breath. After seeing that she had gotten her sister's attention. She knew that she had to ask, "What's with the knight and the way he looks at me?"

Lucy giggled, "You noticed?" Her brown eyes lit up, showing Lacy that it wasn't going to be good. "I've talked about you...to him. And I think the two of you...could be good together."

Lacy gasped, having a hard time picturing her sister doing something like that to her. "You...setting me up?" She shook her head. "I don't believe it...wait a minute." After a thought ran through her mind for a moment. "I can...I can believe it."

Lacy's eyes gave a hard glare towards her sister after seeing something her mind's eye. "Someone has been feeding ideas in your head. Causing you to want to set me up with someone...is it not true?"

"Sorry," Lucy's voice became small. "After realizing that Freed was the one for me. I couldn't help wanting to help others to find their one…" She came and wrapped her arms around Lacy. Giving her sister a loving hug. "Please give Bickslow a chance. He really is a kind-hearted man…"

Lacy smiled softly. "You know I can't hate you forever.." Her eyes soften for a moment. "Is he really...a kind-hearted as you say?"

"Yes," Lucy smiled. "But he can...be prevented. But his heart in the right place." She gave her sister a squeeze. "Just give him a chance."

Lacy sighed, as a giggle left her lips. "I'll give him a chance," a sound of defeat sounded in her voice. "It's not like my romantic life has been all that great…"

Before any of the sisters were able to say anything more. The rest of Fairy Tail mages came into view. Each one of them glancing around, seeing that they were lost for words.

Laxus grumbled, "Hey, Blondie! Wasn't there a house...here?"

Lucy huffed, "You know your blonde too!" She crossed her arms with a glare in her eyes. After seeing that it wasn't disturbing him for one pit, she sighed. "My spirits packed it in the Spirit World."

Bickslow came and wrapped his own arms around Lacy after Lucy had stepped away from her. "That's a cool trick… Where are you going to put the place, when we get back to Magnolia?"

Lacy closed her eyes, trying to calm her raising heart. She had never been that close to the male in all of her life. It was a new experience for her. It was making her blood boil and knew it wasn't because she was angry. She just didn't know what to call it.

Lucy grumbled, "I would believe that we would have to go to the hall of records. Before we even find a place to set her house." She shook her head. "She would have to buy some land, in order to place the house there."

Freed chuckled, "I wouldn't worry about that, my love." His eyes sparkled in love that he held for Lucy. "While we were at the mayor's office. He even gave us Lacy's last paycheck… Seeing that we're taking her home with us."

"Oh," asked Lacy with a surprised tone in her voice. "I wasn't informed that I would be getting my last paycheck."

Bickslow chuckled before fishing something out of his beg and gave it to Lacy. Sure enough, it was her paycheck. "We kind of...threatened if he didn't pay you. We wouldn't accept any future jobs in town if he didn't pay you."

The once younger sister laughed. She couldn't believe that they had done that for her. Lacy turned in Bickslow's arms before hugging him back. Which surprised the group, but nonetheless happy for the new couple.

"Thank you," Lacy whispered. She was having a hard time understanding that they wanted to help her. After first she had wondered if they were only nice because of Lucy being her sister. But to have them really going after they're way to actually help her.

Bickslow's arms held onto Lacy a bit more. Feeling his strong body, surrounding her. She was fighting the urge to close her eyes. Allowing the feeling to give her the comfort that she has been starving for, for so long. ' _Please don't allow me to turn into petting...at least not yet.'_

Once the two pulled away from each other. Lucy gave her the knowing look. The look of, ' _See...you'll like him.'_

Freed coughed, seeing the mixed feelings that he was seeing between the two sisters. He knew that he was going to have to talk to Lucy after what was going on. As well as Bickslow, seeing that he was getting into Lacy a bit quick. Even for the likes of his friend. "Should we head for the station?"

Evergreen sighed, "We might as well. The sooner that we leave the sooner we get back to Magnolia." She glanced around for a moment. "I want my bed...after everything that happened last night…"

Laxus sighed, he glanced towards his growing group. "Yeah, let's get out of here. Before anything else happens." He led everyone towards the station. Where he paid for everyone's tickets before finding a bench for to wait for the next train.

The girls sat on the bench, allowing the men to stand around them. "When is the next train," asked Evergreen. As she glanced around the platform.

Laxus gave a massive sigh, "About three minutes." He glanced around. "Didn't you get the expression that the town...doesn't like mages?"

Lacy took a deep breath. "It's because of all the Dark Mages that have been roaming the area." She had gotten everyone's attention, which made her feel a little bit uncomfortable. "They have been looking for some kind of magical artifact…"

Freed had crossed his arms. Leaning back into the wall that was behind him. "What kind of magical artifact? I wasn't aware that something was out there that Dark Mages would want to use…"

Lacy shrugged, "What artifact can't be used for dark purposes? I mean, it's about content on how one uses it." She glanced around seeing that no one was getting what she was saying. "For example, any one of our powers could be used in darkest of ways. If your magic was to go the wrong hands, would you act differently about those powers?"

Lucy shivered, "That is a hard pill to swallow if you ask me." She glanced at all her newly appointed group. "No offense, but you guys were scary when you went...a bit dark."

Bickslow grumbled, glaring towards the blonde sister. "That wasn't the best of times for us...but I can see what you're saying." He then glanced towards the woman that he was falling for. "So what artifact do you think they're after?"

"Well," she glanced towards Lucy with pain in her eyes. "I would believe it has something to do with Celestial magic...since they were looking for keys." She took a deep breath, giving her sister a sad smile. "Isn't there something in your magic that would have...such an artifact?"

Lucy glanced around, seeing that there were few people on the platform. "I would have to ask Crux later. When we're not around so many people." She looked into Lacy's green eyes, hoping that she would understand. "Some things aren't met...for public knowledge."

Lacy nodded, "I'm very aware of that, Lucy." Her eyes glared towards her once older sister. "I was working with the historians for a time…" She glanced towards the train that was making its way to the station. "I helped with their...research."

Everyone had gotten upon their feet, making their way towards the train. Laxus led the group into a private compartment, where they were able to talk a bit freely. Freed and Bickslow had to coast their girls into sitting on their laps. While Evergreen and Laxus sat across from them.

Everyone glanced at each other. Seeing that everyone had a lot of developmental issues coming to light. And it all surrounded by Celestial magic, again.

"I'm getting tired of my magic being the focal point of dark mages!" Lucy huffed, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Feeling Freed's arms snaking their way around her waist. "Can't they find something else to use? Like...I don't know...maybe something different!"

"Celestial magic is one of the first and oldest magic in the world, Lucy," Lacy spoke with authority in her voice. She knew that she would get her sister to listen more to use that tone. "It is also the hardest to ever learn."

"Do you know why that is," asked Freed. His eyes shine from wanting to build on his knowledge. "I must confess, I was never interested in learning about it before."

"It was said that Celestial magic was the first to be made. Because it was gifted by the Gods…" Lacy glanced towards the window, seeing that the train had started to move. "Believing that those that were gifted were the Gods' chosen children. The ones who could balance the world to light or darkness…"

Lacy sighed, after seeing confused looking in everyone's faces. "Okay, does anyone know how the world was made?"

Freed groaned, "How god made the world in seven days...yes."

Lacy smiled, "That's true...but he also made guardians...mages. Those that will be gifted to protect those that don't have the magic to protect themselves." She saw understanding from everyone within the compartment. "But those that they gifted with Lucy's magic, have the bloodlines of the Gods' chosen children. Meaning...they are gifted with life...the sustain lifeforce for all that was made."

Freed brought Lucy closer to him, hoping to keep her safe by doing so. "You mean, Celestial magic could bring life and death to our world?" When Lacy nodded, he grumbled. "Then we'll have to do whatever we can to keep such knowledge from going into wrongful hands."

Bickslow sighed, "I can't really see Lucy's magic going dark. Not when I know that my magic can do really dark things." He shook his head, bringing Lacy closer to him. Knowing that she was facing with the same knowledge about her own magic. Beling like his own, hers could be just as dangerous. "So, what's the plan?"

Laxus grumbled, as he leaned back into his seat. He was never comfortable with trains. But he knew that this conversation was important. "When we get back to the guild…" He closed his eyes, trying to come up with a came plan. "...we'll talk at my house...since it's bigger."

Evergreen smiled, "Are we going to tell master...of what's going on?"

"I'll let him know that we're...researching." Laxus hated research, but he knew when something came up and it was important. He would do it. He just hated to do it. "I'll explain that it might be important since it has been going on around Lacy's town for so long. That it might cause an issue later."

"First, I think we're going to have to collect some books on the subject," stated Freed. "I don't want to research something without having some books on hand."

Bickslow groaned, "Does it have to start right after we get back? I mean, I would like to relax after our travels." He brought Lacy to where he could rest his chin on her shoulder. "Shouldn't we introduce Lacy to the guild?"

Lucy groaned, knowing that it would be all-night celebration. Back when Lacy walked into the guild. She could only imagine how much of a madhouse that could be like. She was worried on how...open some of those guildmates would be like. 'They would overwhelm her in moments...just like they did with me.'

Lacy gave a worried, "Is it possible for me to meet your master, without having a...party?" She glanced around at all the opicants in the compartment. "I...don't do well...with parties."

"Why," asked Bickslow. He couldn't understand why anyone would have a hard time with parties.

"I don't do well with loud sounds," Lacy glanced away from him.

The foolish knight felt her muscles tensed as he had her close to him. He knew that she was not lying. He felt sorry that she couldn't handle things like that. "We could always get you to Laxus' gramps before anyone could see you. That way we don't have to have a party...at least for a while."

The blonde male nodded, "I agree." He glanced towards the window. "I don't feel like celebrating, not when I know that there may be something...more going on."

As a group, they all agreed. Go to the guild, get a hold of the master. Then collect the necessary research material and go to Laxus'.


	12. Chapter 12

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 12

When they had reached the guild. The group found themselves in what they had envisioned before walking in. In a world of chaos. As usual, Natsu and Gray were in a middle of their brutal contests that had brought the whole guild to join in on. Meaning, it was the perfect time to get Lacy up to the Master's office. Before anyone else had noticed their entrance.

Lucy was feeling very uneasy for her sister. She knew how the guild was. Since they were hearing the sounds of her old teammates going at it before he had even gotten to the door.

"Hey, Ice Princess...why does it take you so long for you to help me!" Lucy sighed, she was happy that she longer had to travel with them. But could they have gotten along, even without her being there. "I had taken out most of the bandits before you decided to raise one finger!"

"Oh...that's rich coming from you!" Gray was sounding more agitated than she had ever believed. "You never had given us...your team...a chance to throw in a shot! You have been so gun how lately! Is it because of Lucy…?"

THUMP! "Don't speak her name," Natsu growled.

Lucy gulped, after seeing her new team glancing into the window. Seeing the fire dragon slayer stalking towards the prone body of Gray. Who was lying against the far wall. Which made her believe that Natsu had hit him from a far distance.

' _He needs to let me go…'_ Lucy sighed before glancing towards Freed, grabbing him and squeezing his hand. Letting him know that she wasn't going to leave him. Causing the man to smile.

Freed lean down, where he could whisper in her ear. "When we're able to be alone again...I promise to show you my gratitude." His voice was low that rumbled into a purr, causing a shiver to travel down Lucy's spine. She could only imagine what things he could be implying with such...devotion in his voice.

The group around them was becoming restless. Knowing that they have things that needed to be handled. As soon as it could be handled. With that in mind, the group entered through the doors. No one had noticed them since Natsu was making a big deal of what it was doing.

The Thunder Legion made their way into the Mater's office, without so much of a hello from anyone. Once inside, the little man huffed at them for their lack of matters. Until he noticed the new person within the group.

"Laxus," his grandfather groaned, before leaning back in his chair. "Something tells me that this is not going to be a pleasant visit." He took a deep breath, after seeing that everyone had found a seat. He asked, "So...what happened?"

Laxus gave a sad smile before waving his hand towards Lacy. "This is Lacy Heartfilia, Lucy's sister…" From that introduction. He went into the explanation of how they met and what lead them to the Dark Guild. Then to the explanation of their visit.

"So...you believe that a Celestial artifact might be their end game? Do you even know what this artifact could be or what it could do?"

Freed to that moment to jump in. "At the moment, we don't. But that is what we're planning to do, once we gotten back, was to research. We all agreed to let you know, before doing so. So you wouldn't become worried if you hadn't heard from us in a while."

"And for Lucy's sister...I mean you brought her here for a reason?"

Laxus smirked, "You've always wanted your very one secretary...why not have Lacy be yours?" He chuckled for a moment. "That way, you know ahead of time if someone is about to head into...fire so of speak."

"That would be nice…"

"You may not want to pick up the lacrama for a few minutes," stated Lacy with worry in her voice.

"Why do you say that child," asked Makarov as he glanced towards her.

"Lahar is about to call...you."

Just as the moment she had finished talking. His lacrama communication device came alive. Makarov had jumped out of his chair, waving for Lacy to come and pick it up. "Tell him...I'm dealing with Natsu." He then ran out of the office.

Lacy picked up the communication device, applying a bit of her magic. Allowing to glow and show the man that the master of Fairy Tail feared to talk to. "Hi Lahar," Lacy spoke with a cheery sounding voice.

"L...Lacy," stuttered the strict man. He gave a worried look, before glancing at his desk. "I thought I was getting ahold of Fairy Tail?"

"Oh, you did." Lacy's eyes shown with sparkling warm as if she knew what the other man was thinking. "But the one you seek is dealing with Natsu at the moment."

Just if planned, everyone heard the Master from downstairs. "NATSU...YOU HOT HEAD…" They heard a smack. "YOU ARE COSTING THIS GUILD, TONS OF MONEY AFTER THE STUNT YOU CAUSED."

"Sorry Gramps...it was Gray's fault…!"

Lahar from the device in Lacy's hand closed his eyes. "I'm not surprised…" He shook his head before he opened them again. "So tell me, Lacy. Why are you in Fairy Tail and not at the mayor's office that I'd left you to?"

"I was fired," she smiled uncomfortably at the harsh looking man. "But Lucy brought me here after I had run into her…"

"Miss Heartfilia…"

"Yes," answered the two women in the room. Even though one of them was being glared at by her bonded husband.

"Sorry," Lucy whispered. "Old habit."

Lahar grumbled darkly. "I don't know if I should be pleased or sorry that you two had met up...after all this time." He shook his head sadly. "Just whatever you do, Lacy. Don't leave that guild! Not even on a job with your sister!"

This caused everyone within the voice to open their ears. They have never heard the man voice such things. Not even a warning that had heat behind his words, in a loving matter. Like a father or brother to anyone before.

"I mean it, Lacy…" He looked around his own office for a moment. "I don't know what's going to happen...but I've been hearing...things. Things that don't add up!" He took a deep breath. "Just please...stay at the guild."

"I've...been offered a job...as secretary. After I do some research...for Lucy." Lacy looked uncomfortable, as she talked to the man on the device. "I know you don't want me to leave here...but I did promise to help her in the research that's she's doing."

The man sighed, "I guess that's better than I would have feared." He shook his head. "Like I said Lacy...don't leave the guild. There is a word that...Dark Guilds are looking for an artifact that may...tie into your sister's magic. Something called...the Breath of Light. That is all that I know...it may help your...research."

"Lahar…"

"You didn't hear it from me," the man growled before the communication device went black. Letting everyone know that the call had ended.

Freed glanced at his blonde wife with raised eyebrows. "I wasn't expecting that man...to even help." His eyebrows raised for a moment. "Is there something else...you've haven't told us about your sister."

"I can't really say," Lucy looked uncomfortable on his lap. Trying not to wiggle. "She has always had this ability to get people...to talk."

Bickslow sighed, as leaned back in his seat. "Well, at least we have a clue."

Freed chuckled, "No, my friend. We don't have a clue...we have a lead. A very strong one at that." He smiled, causing his eyes to sparkle. "It'll help us wiggle down a lot of unneeded research...that's for sure."

Laxus clapped his hands, "Good!" He glanced around for a moment. "Evergreen and I will go down to the library and get some books." He then glanced towards Freed. "You and Lucy will go the bookstore and get some needed books." He then glanced towards Bickslow. "You and Lacy will hand the food and drinks. We'll all meet back at my house...after an hour or two."

With that everyone left the office. Lucy and Freed had stopped at their house for a moment. Which caused Lucy to have a worried look in her eyes. "Freed, don't we have things to do…?"

"Yes," grumbled Freed before he picked Lucy up from her feet. "But I have other things on my mind before finishing out our orders." He rushed to his house and up the stairs to the master bedroom. In fury of motion, without so much as a rip of their clothes occurred, as they both faced each other naked. "But first, I must claim what's _mine_."

"Freed," gasped Lucy, as he pushed her on the bed. A little bit of force, but not enough to hurt her.

"Mine," he growled before crawling into the bed after her. Covering her with his body, before he worshipped her. "I don't care if I have to lay claim to you. Over and over again, until your fire-breather of a friend gets it through his head." He kissed and nipped at Lucy's body, from neck to her nether lips. "He'll know that you're _mine_."

She gasped, as she felt his tongue. Licking her juices that she didn't realize that they were leaking out of her. Quivering at his sense of control was lost upon her. Causing her to feel empowered by that notion. Even if her brain was lost in lust.

"I'm yours," she gasped, feeling him climbing up her body. Kissing her, before feeling the most important part entering her. Causing a hiss to leave their lips in their reunion of primal need.

"That's right," he voice darkened, as he moved his hips. Causing music to his ears to be a song in their bedroom. His lips attacked his neck, grazing his teeth on her flesh. "You...are my weakness...Lucy."

"No," she shook her head. As she felt the heat rising from her cool flesh. Her body feeling the quivering of his need...power. She just couldn't name, but knew that she was lost in his declarations of love. "I'm your...strength." She took a deep breath, as she felt his staff rushing into her with great need. "Love...will...always...be a strength."

A growl left his lips before he grabbed her hips before thrust into her. Harder and faster. Like a man, trying to find his meaning in life. Knowing that without her, he really didn't have a life to bring meaning to.

"Come for me…my love," Freed gasped out. When Lucy came, shortly after Freed followed. They stayed connected until they had found their breath. "Come, love, we should shower before running towards the store. I really don't want Laxus to lecture me...after he smells us."

Lucy quivered as she still lay under him. "Sometimes I hate...a slayer's nose." She shook her head, giggling. "If I wasn't into cleanliness. I would want to walk into the guild one day...just to give Natsu a reason to stop wanting me."

Freed chuckled as well, before pulling himself away from her and helped her out of the bed. "Come, let's shower. We really don't have all day."

With that, they two went into the bathroom to shower. With each other's help, they were able to get clean fast. Then rushed towards the bookstore before heading towards Laxus' house. It was a good thing that Freed knew the bookstore well and where to get the books the needed.

Once they had reached Laxus' house, they knew that they would be the last ones to enter. But found that Bickslow and Lacy hadn't made it there yet. Which gave the couple a small grace, of knowing that not everyone was waiting for them.

Laxus saw them as he sat in the living room, in his massive seat. Giving Freed a knowing look. "Took you two...some time." He chuckled after seeing both of them blushing under his scrutiny. "Huh…," his tone carried out. Showing his meaning even more.

Freed caught, "You know there was a time." He grumbled even more. "That you have done the same thing."

"Yes," stated the blonde male. "I have." He started to chuckled wholeheartedly. "I have to say, Freed, I never would have imagined. You being married and starting to act like me...with one woman." Laxus shook his head with a smile on his lips. "Who would have thought that married life would be all that you needed. To get you out of your shell."

Lacy gulped before moving away from the boasting men. Knowing it wasn't where she wanted to be. She found her way and sat next to Evergreen on the couch.

The fairy mage leaned into the blonde woman. "What are they talking about?"

Lucy sighed, "They're talking about that Freed and I… We were detained for a while…"

Evergreen giggled before giving Laxus a hard glare. "You...Lazus have no right to talk!" She shook her head. "At least they have a right...since they ARE married!"

Laxus grumbled, "You're no fun, Evergreen. Do you know that?" He closed his eyes before waving Freed away. "I see I'm not going to have...a bit of fun out of this."

After Freed had found a seat on the couch next to Lucy. It was when that Bickslow and Lacy came into with bags of food in hand. "Sorry for our lateness, boss," stated the foolish looking knight. "But the food took a while to cook. Since the chef believed that we didn't get enough to bring back."

Laxus chuckled, "I guess you through my name around, while you were at it?"

"Don't ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies."

Evergreen groaned, shaking her head. "That's always your answer for everything, isn't it, Bickslow?" She closed her eyes, chuckling softly. "I guess things will never change, at least with you…"

The group found themselves sitting around the living room. With massive of food in front of them. Laxus glanced around, "Let us dig in while the food it hot. Then we shall get into the books, soon after."

So with that being declared. The group loaded the plates of food. Each one of them ate their fill before digging into the books. They were enjoying what little of what they could call...family dining. Each one of them could each other family. Something as simple as a dinner was what most of Thunder Legion had always been proud to accomplish.

After dinner, Evergreen pulled all the dishes away to wash and make tea. Freed went off towards Laxus' home office and grabbed anything that they could use for notes. Bickslow picked up all the trash to throw away. While Laxus himself picked up a remote and played some soft music in the background.

Lucy picked up on of her silver keys and called out for Crux. When the spirit became known, he bowed to the blonde woman. "Miss Lucy, how can I help you, dear?"

"Grandpa Crux, do you know anything about the Breath of Light? Its knowledge has been making its way into dark guilds lately."

The older spirit gasped, "Lucy! That is a long-forgotten artifact!" His eyes darkened as his eyes focused on the woman, who weld his key. "It was supposed to be lost in all knowledge in the Earthland." He closed his eyes. "I'm going to have to get permission from the Spirit King before saying anything more…"

A golden flash became known before everyone could see who stood in Laxus' living room. "That wouldn't be necessary, Crux."

"Leo," gasped the cross-shaped spirit. "You already asked him. What did he say?"

The ginger-haired male with ears of a lion. Turned towards the people within the room, with a great sigh. "Whatever you learned today, you can't voice it outside these walls. Not even to master, unless it's here." Lucy had never seen him serious before. "But whatever happens...your lives will be in great danger. Not because of you finding it. But because of the knowledge that I'm about to give you."

Freed brought out a notebook and a pen. "How much danger, are we talking about?"

Loke's eyes focused on the man with minted-hair. "Live threatening danger. The kind that heroes would only dream of their stories, to be written across the stars." His eyes flashed with dark knowledge behind his eyes. "Crux will tell you what you need to know. But please, don't bring more danger into Lucy's life more than it is now."

Freed glanced towards Laxus. Seeing his storm-colored eyes had found the minted-haired man's green ones. Together, they knew that they would have to protect Lucy. Knowing it was her magic that could be used against them.

Laxus nodded, "Loke, you've known us for years." He groaned for a moment. "Granted, we weren't all friends. But we will protect Lucy in this… At least a lot better than Natsu has done."

"For that only reason, is because I trust you." He glanced towards Lucy, with a sad smile. "Stay safe...Lucy." Then he was gone in his brilliant of gold.

"Why do I feel like...the world is going to end," stated Lucy with a ting sound of worry in her voice. As tears leaked out of her eyes. 'Do I really want to know this artifact?'

Crux sighed, taking a deep breath. "I'll return with what books I have. I think it's best...that you read it for yourselves." He then turned into his sparkling mess. Leaving behind a group of mages with worry in their eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 13

Once Crux had gathered all the books that were needed. He brought them back to Laxus' house before he vanished again. Lucy was beside herself. She had never seen her spirits acting this way. Not that many years that she had known them.

Book after book, the group read as much as they could about the Breath of Light. Each book varied on who had made. Or what purpose it served.

Freed took a deep breath, as he glanced at each notebook that everyone had noted what was worthy. He then highlighted what was the same. He glanced up with and saw that he everyone's attention.

"From what we've read. The artifact is made of silver and gold, a flute that was once made to bring light into this world. A light that also had brought life. Life that also brought the first...of everything to the world."

He took a deep breath, he was having a hard time believing what he was reading. "The Gods saw that it was good. Stated the world needed protectors, guardians to those that need protecting. Those that weren't made of magic. So the Gods made the few that of those that they made into...something more. The Gods chosen...which had their own children, making them into Children of the Gods Chosen."

He flipped through another page. "The Gods saw that everything was good. They watched and rested. Years had passed as they watched, when one of the Children of the Gods Chosen had fought against a brutal man. A girl, no more than eight years old saved many others at this man's hand.

"When her life was taken. The Gods were angry and stoked the man as he stood. As the man lay dying, the Gods played their flute. Their Breath of Light had brought the life back into the girl. But whatever magic she would have had, no longer ran through her veins. She became the first Celestial Mage...the only magic that was weld by the Gods…"

Lucy grabbed her throat with her hand, messaging it. Feeling sorrow for the nameless girl. The one to carry the burdens of Celestial Magic. ' _Magic of the Gods…? Should I fear my magic?'_

She felt Freed wrapping an arm around her shoulders, bring her close to him. Not really noticing or hearing what anyone was saying. Lost in her own thoughts and fears. ' _I'm the 'Light of the Guild,' does this mean…?'_

Freed shook her, enough to where she was able to focus on him. "Stop, Lucy… Stop with the negative thoughts that are running through your head."

"H...how?"

The minted-haired man smirk softly. "Of all the years that I had followed in your shadow. I've always knew that you...would drag your thoughts into darkness." He kissed her forehead. "But my love," he whispered. "...it's not time for such things." He kissed her temple, allowing his love to seek into her soul. "What troubles you so…?"

"The little girl...having to be harmed." Tears leaked out of Lucy's eyes, as she pulled away from Freed. Only to see his eyes. "She saved others...before being gifted a new...magic."

Lacy came and walked towards her sister and sat before her. She grabbed one of her hands, giving a soft smile. "Don't think it that way, Lucy. Think about she was being able to have a new life...a better life because of that gift." She rubbed her thumb over Lucy's hand. "She might have been your ancestor, Lucy."

"That's just it," mumbled Lucy with worry in her voice. "What makes my magic so special...it isn't powerful." Tears leaking out even more, causing a waterfall effect. "Why do everyone have to come after me, just because of me being a Celestial Mage?"

Lacy smiled softly, "It's because Celestial Magic is as close to being an angel, Lucy." Causing everyone to glance at each other. "Being angelic has its ups and downs...just like being a Celestial Mage."

Lucy smiled, trying not to laugh. But seeing the look in her sister's eyes. She knew that she was trying to help her. "What made you so wise," she laughed with her heart glowing.

"When you took a seven year cat nap, sis." Causing everyone to laugh at Lacy's bold but humorous statement. "But all honesty sis, you should be blessed."

"I...I don't know how I should feel about this…" Lucy had sorrow in her eyes. "I mean...mumma died...because of this magic. It has nearly killed me with a clock...what else will it take?"

Freed saw Lacy looked towards him for him. Since that was what he believed from the look she was giving him. He waved for her to move. Once Lacy was out of the way, Freed picked Lucy up and made his way up stairs.

"Going to your room," asked Laxus from his seat.

"Indeed," called out Freed.

"Just no funny business!"

"Can't promise anything." He heard a boastrus laugh following him, as he made his way up the stairs. When he reached the upstairs, he went straight to the middle bedroom. A place he called his own, when he was staying at Laxus' from a time or two.

He opened the door and then closed it right behind him. He placed her in his bed and crawled in over her. Hoping his heat would shake out of her shock. He couldn't imagine what may be going through her head. He then started kissing her jawline and neck, hoping that something would help her.

She gasped, "Freed." She shivered, feeling chill and heat intermixing with not just her bones and body, but also her soul. "Please tell me…," her eyes became hooded.

"No matter what," he whispered across her skin. He wasn't a passionate man, he ripped her clothes off, as well as his own. "I will be there with you," he then rammed into her. Allowing them to gasped out for the emotions to become something pleasant.

"Your magic is no more dangerous than others," he shifted his hips, bringing a gasp out of her. "If your magic was dangerous, then I must crave danger. Or you're my kind of danger."

"Freed," she grabbed a hold of his long lushes hair. Causing him to growl. "Have I ever told you that I love your long hair."

"I'm glad that you do…" They were lost within each other. Each wanting to feel the warmth, love, and so much more.

Lucy became lost within the moment. Not wanting to think of anything. She just wanted to enjoy the feeling of her man, who happen to be worshiping her. With every thrust she felt, she felt an his love that he had for her. It was the kind of love that she dreamt about, unimaginable kind of love that she had craved all of her life.

"You're the angel to my demon," he whispered. Even though her mine was fogged by the emotion that he was enticing. Each kiss was molded into their need. "My beautiful angel…"

She became lost within the emotion. All she wanted to do was feel. To let go of all the negative thoughts and hidden historical lessons of her magic. All she wanted was to feel love...and life.

' _Life,'_ a flicker of thought came into her head at that time. She raked her finger nails down his back, making him move faster and deeper. "Want...need…," her mind became lost. ' _...create life...with you..'_ She didn't understand. But something within her wanted to make something with Freed. Something to bring them together.

"Whatever you want...my angel." He pulled out of her and then flipped her around before entering her once more. Just before the two lost control, he whispered. "Take my seed...make it grow…"

It was then that Lucy knew that they were on the same page. They wanted to find life in the darkness of the unknown. Life will give them something to strive for. As their juices mixed, a thought came into her head. ' _My beautiful demon...what would our child look like?'_

The two fell asleep in each other's arms that night. Neither one of the realizing what they had an inner wish. A life to grow out of their love for one another. A kind that will surpass through time…

The next morning the group sat around the dining room table. Lexus was giving Freed a glare that could only be described as a death sentence. Which caused Lucy to blush from where she sat, knowing why he was angry. She could only imagine that it was much more than her tender plumped lips from the night before. As well as that morning while in the shower.

His stormy eyes then flashed at her, causing her to shrink down in her seat. Hoping that he would remember that she a woman in all of what was going on.

"You know, for someone who had a Dragon Slayer as a partner for many years. I'm surprised that you've forgotten a few things about us," Laxus leaned over the table to look into her eyes. "Like our hearing, for I've heard your declarations of love…" She quivered in her seat. Trying to remember all the words that were spoken. "How we are able to smell things that like no other…"

Bickslow chuckled where he sat, as he wrapped his arm around Lacy's shoulders. As Lucy could see, Lacy was trying not to look at anyone. But Lucy could see her blushing, she just don't know if was what was being said or...something else.

"I can smell your combined scents," Laxus purred out dangerously. "Even while you tried washing it all off...I'm still able to smell your togetherness." Lucy felt uncomfortable about what she was hearing. But knew that she was learning about the slayers. His harsh eyes became a bit soft. "I hope for the sake of the future that we're able to solve whatever is going on and soon. Because things are going to get dangerous…"

Everyone seemed to have woken up from hearing his voice. He seemed to have become from a surgery sweet to something...different. A kind of voice that none of them have ever heard before. It was the kind that spoke more volumes that someone would scream something out for everyone to hear. No, the voice spoke some hidden secrets. The question was, what was he hiding?

"What are you on about," asked Freed, as he had gotten out of his seat. He walked to where he was closer to Laxus, looking into each other's eyes. "What's going on, Laxus? I've never heard this tone of voice of yours, the kind that...tells people to plan for the ultimate backup plan."

"I agree boss," stated Bickslow. His smiling face dulled after seeing the seriousness that came with tone. "What's going on that you're withholding from us?"

Evergreen smiled softly, "Don't tell us that you have a way to look into the future? Because if you do, I really don't want to know."

"Would you guys knock it off," he stated with a bit of heat. "I don't know anything that's coming...but right now I wish I could." His voice was slightly loud with a growl that ended with a soft distant sound. "Because...in the matter of months, I have a feeling that our lives will get unpredictable…"

"Alright...that's it," cried out Lucy as she had gotten out of her chair. She had enough of his cryptic ass that day. She glanced at Evergreen with a raised eyebrow. "Has he been like his before?"

"No," the fairy mage shook her head. "Out of all the years that I've known him. I've never seen him act or sound like this before."

Lucy then turned towards Laxus and walked towards him with a glare in her eyes. "Alright mister tall and strong," she had used that technique to get into people's heads. It was something that she learned growing up in the mansion. "It's time that you give me some clear answers. What the HELL is that KIND of cryptic statement as that?!"

Laxus closed his eyes, seeing his body quivering. Why he was quivering, no one knew, because the great Laxus had never shown such weakness before. His lips pulled up to one side as a low growl came out. "Sometimes I hate having these...extra scenes." Once his eyes opened, they flashed. "You are growing life within you, Blondie," his voice came out as a loud sounding whisper.

The words that left the large blonde's lips was something that both thrilled and scared Lucy. Sure it was something that came in the back of her mind from the night before. She glanced towards her...beloved minted haired man. She saw from his eyes that he was both scared and happy from the news as well.

"Well hell yeah," cried out Bickslow. Before getting upon his feet and rushed towards Freed, hitting him on his back. "Only man who is man enough to become a father!"

Lucy felt a little uneasy after hearing that from Bickslow. But then again, he was trying to break the tension that was in the room. All they needed was a sharp knife to cut with it. But in all reality, they just needed a foolish looking knight to do it for them.

Lacy rushed towards Lucy, wrapping her arms around her. Giving her a hug that neither one of them had felt like giving in a long time. The kind that only sisters could give to one another. "I'm happy for you," Lacy spoke with happiness in her voice.

After Lacy had let go, it was enough to cause Freed to get up and rushed towards Lucy and brought her close to him. She was pleased to learn that she wasn't the only person that was quivering. "We'll end whatever it is that these people have started. We'll make sure there is a future for us to come to...after all of this is done."

Lacy glanced towards Lucy with a smirk on her lips. "We could always try to find our cousin." Causing everyone to look at her. "She would know what to do."

"Who," asked everyone else in the house. Causing Lacy to giggle and Lucy to smile softly, as she pulled herself out of the warmth that Freed had given her.

"Hermione Granger," stated Lucy with warmth in her voice and a soft smile on her lips. "She's been away, studying a broad for the kind of magic she welds."

"Wait," Freed glared towards Lucy for a moment. "Other than your mother, I thought that you were the only magic welder in your family."

"You would be correct," Lucy laughed dryly. "But you've grown up in the noble household. You would understand that people would try to bury certain things like magic in their family. My father was like every one of them. Hiding his own sister's daughter's abilities."

"You mean to tell me that high-class…," they could hear the disbelief in Laxus' voice. "...would bury anything to do with magic. All for what exactly," he asked with a slight growl in his voice.

Lucy and Lacy looked at one another. Each one of them knew the life that they had. The life that they were told to have. Besides Layla, no one else was allowed to have magic. Because no one within the noble line was allowed to have magic, or no one would do business later. Which means...no money.

"You know that money makes the world, right," Lucy asked with sickening sweetness in her voice. "Well, without money the nobles wouldn't know how to survive. So they would bury their family history of magic, under a rug and hope to never find it again."

"Back to your cousin," Laxus' voice broke through to everyone's thoughts. "To this...Hermione Granger. Do you think she would help?"

Lacy gave a small smile, "I know that she would… If she wasn't facing a war, but I do believe she will be able to come. Especially when we use our bracelets that she made for us to get a hold of her, knowing it would be an emergency to come."

Evergreen sighed, "Should we even discuss this with the master?" She glanced around, seeing that she had everyone's full attention. "I mean, he would like to know what's going on."

Lucy glanced towards Lacy with worry in her eyes. It was enough to let the group know her worries. She was scared that she might be catching her cousin at a bad time. Knowing that war was a big business, even though she didn't know the full story behind it. She just hope that Hermione would be able to help.

Everyone agreed that they should at least let their guild master know what's going on. From there, Lucy will decide on getting a hold of Hermione. She just hope that her cousin wouldn't be mad, if they had managed to take her out of her world at the wrong time.

' _Oh Hermione, it has been years since we had last seen each other.'_ She followed everyone out the door. She felt Freed leading her down the road. ' _What has time done for you, Hermione? Are the same person that I knew, before you left? Before finding out that you were a witch and needed to go to school.'_

Lucy was so deep in thought that she didn't realize that they were at the guild. It wasn't until she felt herself going up the stairs. By the time they made it into the office of their master, was when she was more focused on what was going on. When they entered the office. She noticed that it wasn't just the Thunder Legion that was there but also another team.

Crime Sorciere, who had started out on a guild of their own had joined Fairy Tail officially. After the council declared them to do so. Out of their group of misfits, only three were in the office. Jellal for obvious reasons, Cobra and Midnight. When they had started becoming Fairy Tail. It was when Lucy had learned of their true names, but knew well enough not to use them. They weren't friends, it wasn't because she didn't try, but because they were always away on missions to even try.

As soon as everyone had found a place to sit, Master Makarov cleared his throat. "As you can see for yourselves, I've asked them to come in. After hearing some of what you've told me." He glanced over to the three men. "Since they do have experience when dealing...with world ending changes."

Laxus grumbled, "I know that they've changed Gramps. But can we trust them blindly when dealing with what we're about to do?" He glanced over to the blonde woman in the room, waving towards her. "It's really up to her if can allow these guys to join in."

Lucy gave a shy smile. "About that master, I really have someone else in mind that I wanted to join us. But...we have to get a hold of her...unconventionally."

Cobra started chuckling darkly. "Unconventionally is putting it mildly, Bright Eyes." Causing everyone to look at him. "From what I'm reading from you," he then pointed towards Lacy. "As well as her, you're trying to bring someone who hasn't lived on Earthland...for many years. I, for one, would like to see that magic trick."

Midnight glanced at his old friend. "How are they going to do that?"

Cobra smirked as he glanced around darkly. "She's planning on summoning her...cousin from dimensional means…"

"WHAT," cried Master Makarov. "That is strongly forbidden and unheard of…"

"If it is unheard of," stated Freed in his layback tone. "Then why is it forbidden?"

"How is that any different than me calling on my spirits," asked Lucy with a thoughtful look. "Or Erza calling for her weapons…" She noticed a few people shivering after saying Erza's name and her weapons. She had to smile, knowing that Erza had a way with people, even without her being in the room.

The guild master sighed. "When you put that logic on the table...I'm forced to listen on how you're going to summon her. I just hope it isn't blood magic, the counsel would have a field day if they found out."

Which caused Cobra to laugh even harder, grabbing his stombic. Causing everyone to look at his with raised eyebrows. Except for Lucy and Lacy, who looked uncomfortable.

"OH...this is getting better and better," smirked the poison slayer with glee. "It is blood magic that they've done…" He chuckled some more. Before his purple eye flashed with a spark that made Lucy uneasy. "Oh, I'm loving your cousin already…"

"Lucy," groaned the aged man. "I know that you mean well, but I can't allow this...unless she is from our world. If she isn't…" Everyone within the room had voiced their own opinions on the matter. Causing an uproar through the office.

"She is," she interrupted the man. Which she felt uneasy of doing, but she was getting tired of be lectured as if she was Natsu. When she saw that everyone had calmed down after her declaration. "She was born here, but she was sent away. Her magic could only be taught somewhere else...somewhere not here."

The guild master shook his head. None knew for what reason. Other than to believe that he was battling with himself about something. "Please," the elder man gave Lucy a worried look. "Please reconsider." He reached out with his long growing arms and took hers in his own. "Please, what could she do what we...the guild couldn't do for you, Lucy?"

Cobra spoke up, "I knew y'all would support her. But what she really needs is someone who really knows her and from what I'm reading off of Bright Eyes. Her cousin has a brain." He shrugged. "Maybe for someone who has been away from it all. She could have insight that we may have not thought about."

"Hum," the elder man thought. "You could be right." He glanced up towards Lucy with sad eyes. "Just don't make me regret this…"

Lucy gave a heartwarming smile. "Have I ever done anything that you would have question your faith in me?"

Makarov gave a watery smile. "No," he shook his head. "But...I've done things that would question yours…"

Lacy had gotten up from where she sat and stood next to Lucy. "Are you ready, sis?"

The blonde woman sighed but nodded, before making her way towards her sister. "Do you still have your bracelet?"

Lacy pulled back her left sleeve to show a beaded bracelet on her wrist. "I've never taken mine off."

Lucy pulled her's out of her key pouch and placed it on her own wrist. "Good." The two held hands, where the bracelets were near one another. "Ready?" Lacy nodded. Lucy glanced at everyone around, "You might want to step back."

Everyone had gotten up from where they were sitting and stood next to the wall. The sisters glanced at one another for one more time before they recited a spell that was taught them...long ago.

"Through the essence of time of space

To a place that it out of our reach.

We call out to our third of our anchor

The one with knowledge that we seek…"

At that moment, everyone within the room was hearing voices. Some mumbles, others screams. Some in English, while others they couldn't understand. After a moment, they started to hear a voice that came loud and clear.

"No...not now. Not when I still need to help Harry," a young woman's voice rang out in the room.

"'Mione!" Causing everyone to jump up from where they stood. "What's going on, why are fading?!"

"Ron," she cried out. "Help Harry! I'm sorry," they heard her crying voice. "They're calling for me…"

"Who is calling for you, 'Mione! What's so important that they couldn't wait until the war is over?"

"I don't know." Her voice sounding despair. Making everyone to look at one another. "But they wouldn't be reaching out to me, if it wasn't important."

"HERMIONE," another male voice called out to her.

"Sorry, Harry." Her voice started to break out.

The sisters looked at each other with sorrow before going on in what they were doing. "Come home and help us!" Within moments a flash a light came upon the room and then Cobra came rushing towards them. After a moment of the light had gone and in Cobra's arms was a young woman, who looked like she had been through hell.

"Someone get pip squeak, she needs to heal her." Cobra had growled towards the room, causing Evergreen to leave. "What we heard, she was in the middle of a war-zone before coming here."

"What else do you see," asked the guild master with worry in his voice.

"Pain," Cobra sighed. "Lots and lots of pain." He glanced towards the sister, who had pulled their hands from one another. "Whatever you did, no matter how angry could be towards you… You did the right thing. They were nearly outnumbered." He then took her out of the office, leaving everyone else behind.

She knew from her dealings with Cobra. It was the nicest thing he had ever done. At least as far as she had ever seen him do. Sure, she was one to give people another chance. It was something that she had hoped for, but not forced upon. At least someone like Cobra and Gajeel, both of them were the same. Let them come to you on their terms, not yours.

Lucy was only happy that he was helping Hermione, when didn't feel like the right person to do so. At least at that moment. She glanced towards Lacy with worry in her eyes. "I...I'm afraid...Lacy…." The other girl came and hugged her. "I think...we've called her...at the wrong time."

Freed came up to her and hugged from behind. Allowing her to feel his warmth and love. "We'll help," he whispered near her ear. Kissing her shoulder. "As brave as one was willing to do for a friend. She will understand that her family needs her too."

"I hope so," gasped Lucy. As many thought came rushing through her head. "I hope so…"


	14. Chapter 14

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 14

Lucy was out in the hallway. Waiting for her pending dome. At least that's what she felt like she was doing. She had seen Wendy, their little Sky Dragon Slayer. The healer of Fairy Tail, had rushed into the room not long ago.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER!" Wendy managed to loud enough to where the guild had heard her. But none knew who she was talking about.

Cobra had taken up to himself to sit in the makeshift hospital next to Hermione. Lucy didn't know why he would want to, other than being the one to catch her in her trip to Earthland. ' _He has become a mystery, since Hermione came back…'_ She almost wanted to go in there and demand that he tell her. Why he was close to her cousin? But she knew the Poison Dragon Slayer to know that he wouldn't provide one.

Since the guild master's office was near the hospital room. Everyone that is part of the Thunder Legion was within, waiting on what's going on with Hermione. But Lucy couldn't find herself to do so. She wanted to be near. So when she woke up, she would the line of fire that she knew her would need against her anger.

When they were younger, Lucy remembered Hermione's anger quiet well. It could go of two ways. Hermione would be so silent that she wouldn't want to talk to you...even for days. Or she could flat out yell at you until she was blue in the face. Once either of those things happened, then she would start asking questions. At that stage, you better answer them or more quiet or yelling will occur if she didn't hear the right answers.

Either way, Lucy knew that she wouldn't win. All she had to do was stay nearby. Her nerves were shot, she was worried about her cousin's health. She was even waiting on Wendy to come out to tell her what was taking so long for her to heal Hermione. All she knew was that her mind was chasing too many thoughts at the same time. She was kind of relieved and surprised that Cobra hadn't came out and yell at her to be quiet.

"Your thoughts are enough to drive out that sounds of her pain!" She had heard him yell through the door.

' _I guess I'm helping him more than I realize,'_ Lucy had thought kindly. ' _What was the last time I had seen Hermione? It has been years…'_

At the moment her thoughts drove her back in time. Back when all three girls were in Lucy's room. Each one of them having a book in hand. Seating at the window seat over the garden. A lightning storm was just rolling in at a distance, it was calming.

Lucy glanced up from her book of Celestial Magic History. Seeing Lacy reading a children's book about random ghost stories. While Hermione was reading an Encyclopedia book. It looked like Hermione and Lucy were about eight years old and Lacy being much younger.

"Do you really have to move, Hermione," Lucy had asked her. "Why do you have to move to another world? Why can't to stay here?"

"I don't know Lucy," answered Hermione with sorrow in her voice. "All I know is mum and dad want to move…" Her eyes became lost in focus. Moving her wild crazy hair out of her eyes, but kept trying to move back to where it was. "I just know that they had heard...about a school that I should be apart of."

"What kind of school," asked a high-pitched voice of Lacy.

"A magic school," stated Hermione with a smile gracing her lips. "A school that would teach me more than one kind of magic." She shrugged. "I can't wait to start, but sadly I won't be able to start until I'm twelve. Because they don't want anyone below the age of eleven to start. Plus school starts before my eleventh birthday."

"How do you know this school," asked Lucy. She had never heard about a school that would teach magic.

"Do you remember my mom having a gift of sight. Well," Hermione smiled fondly. "...she told me about the school is calling me. That I need to be there...and help destiny along."

It was that moment that Lucy knew that she might not see Hermione again. But some time after she had started school, she was able to send the bracelets to Lucy and Lacy. Stating that if something ever happened, they were to get a hold of her that way. She had even forced them to memorize the summoning spell that the two had used to get her to Earthland.

"WHO IN THE HELL WOULD CARVE A WORD LIKE THAT INTO LIVING FLESH," cried out Cobra. Causing everything within the guild to glance towards the hospital area.

Lucy ran towards the door that would lead her to Hermione. When she opened it, she found her cousin laying in one of the beds. It was when she saw Hermione's arm. A word that she had read from one of her letters.

"She doesn't have dirty blood," growled out Cobra. Lucy could only guess that he read her soul. "Not just yours, Bright Eyes. But I see hers as well, as well as the one that did that to her."

"Who," Lucy asked. Hearing her voice quiver for the nightmare that her cousin had gone through.

"Some crazy ass bitch that's hell-bent on making your cousin's life, a living hell. Hunting her and her friends down, before they would end the crazy's boss. A man more snake-like than me." Cobra glanced up, showing his anger in his purple eye. "Don't be surprise, if you find me following her from now on."

"Just...please…"

"I won't hurt her," he stated in a voice that she had never heard before. Full of warmth and seriousness. It was both comforting and fearful. "She's going to need someone to watch her in this world of ours."

Tears leaked out of her eyes. "Cobra…"

Wendy walked away from Hermione with her own tears. "There isn't much I can do. Even that word can't be healed by my own magic. Sadly it will stay with her." She started going through things for potions and bandages. "I'll do what else I can do but mainly, she'll have to heal on her own."

"She's going to hate me," whispered Lucy, as she leaned against the wall.

"Bright Eyes," growled the Poison Dragon Slayer. "I hope you don't get into a habit of saying that!" He had taken a deep breath. "From what I could see and hear from the tidbits of her soul. She doesn't hate you…"

Lucy was about to say something but her raised his hand. Causing her to stop. "But...she could be anger because of her wanting to help her friend with the war. But she won't hate you…"

"What war," she asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort." Lucy gasped as her skin became pale. Covering her mouth with her hand. As images of letters flashed through her mind's eye. "Between the fated boy and the dark wizard that she wrote about." The sound of his voice became dark and raspy. "More dark and twisted than Brain was…"

Lucy nodded as she closed her eyes. "I know who you're talking about… Harry was Hermione's best friend turned brother. According to Hermione's letters, Voldemort had targeted Harry since a baby. Killing off Harry's parents and friends...all because of a prophecy stating that Harry. Had the power in stopping the dark wizard…"

Cobra nodded, "I've seen as much from her soul." He glanced up when Lucy had opened her brown eyes. "Did you know that her and her friends had faced evil things since the ages of eleven and twelve?"

"Yeah," she shook her head with sorrow in her eyes. "It was something that we would argue in our letters. Her saying that she couldn't turn her back on her friends. While I'm yelling at her that she needed to tell her parents everything. She would answer that they would take her out of a place that her heart-felt like she belonged."

Lucy took a deep breath, while tears leaked out of her eyes. "I don't know if she knew that she was killing me slowly… Not knowing if I would ever see my beloved cousin alive again." She wrapped her arms around her, hoping to feel something...anything. "It felt like I was losing her in someway… I just hoped it wasn't through death."

"Heartfilia," the Poison Dragon Slayer's soft voice caused Lucy to jerk up to see him looking at her. "Don't give up on her...not when you see her breathing...living. She's right her...allow your faith of her knowing that she will live."

"Why," she gasped out. "Why are you helping, Cobra? What are you not telling me," she demanded as he looked into his dark purple eye. Making her know that she would testing his patience with her.

When she didn't get an answer from Cobra, like she wanted. It was Wendy that spoke. "It's because he wasn't raised by a dragon," causing the two to look at her. "He doesn't know...that your cousin is his mate…"

Cobra gaped at Wendy, making Lucy feel a little better knowing. That he truly didn't know. "You better be joking squirt, because I don't do romance…"

Wendy gave him a knowing smile before coming over to the sleeping girl. She gave Hermione potion after potion before going to the engraved word on the right arm. She then put some paste before wrapping it up.

"I'm not joking, Cobra. She's you're mate, the one that you're inner dragon will only see as your love interest." Wendy gave a slight wiggle of a shake, once she was done wrapping Hermione's arm. "Oh, this is so exciting," she blushed kindly. "It's not everyday that one finds their mate…"

Lucy glanced at Cobra with worry and saw him gaping at the small Dragon Slayer. It was almost comical, if she was willing to laugh. But she wasn't brave to do so. Not when the Poison Dragon Slayer could kill anyone within reach. She saw that Cobra was really having a hard time with it. Because he had gotten up and started pacing the room, it was when everyone knew not to get in his way.

"Shit," he grumbled loud enough for Lucy to hear him. "What am I going to do? This changes things…"

Lucy glanced down, when she noticed that Hermione was moving around a little bit. ' _Does this mean that Cobra has started to having feeling for my cousin?'_ She glanced up for a moment. She could tell that he hadn't heard her or it was ignoring her. Either way, she was glad that he didn't lash out at her.

Hermione's eyes popped open after a while of her moving from side to side. Her eyes moved to where Lucy was sitting. Causing the blonde to sit still, she didn't know what kind of mood that her cousin had woke up being. She just hope it wasn't enough to cause harm.

Something must have caused Cobra to stop pacing. Then he glanced at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. It was the only warning she had, because Hermione waved her wand towards Lucy. Within a split second a yelp left Lucy's lips before her clothes changed before everyone eyes. Turning her skirt into shorts, as well as moving her shirt around to where it was covering her cleavage.

"That's for not having enough clothes on," growled Hermione as she sat up in bed. Glaring at the blonde with heat in her eyes. Then she waved her wand again, causing Lucy to fall down upon the ground. "That is for taking me away from my friends before my war was over!"

Cobra started chuckling, "Oh! I like you, sweetheart!" His lips pulled into a smirk, leaning against something, trying to look cool. "It's about time that someone put Bright Eyes in her place."

Hermione's brown eyes turned to focus on the man within the room. "Great, another man who has to have a nickname or pet names for everyone."

"Ooooh, darling." His purple eye sparkling at her. "I love it when you're feisty," he purred at her.

Hermione waved her wand towards Lucy again. Allowing the blonde to get back to her feet again. Glaring at Hermione, "I've worked so hard on a look that was my own!"

"Tell me," stated Hermione with a huff. "Did you pick that look because your father wouldn't approve of that? Or was it because you wanted people to notice you?"

"I guess," Lucy thought for a moment. "A little bit of both."

"Has anyone tried to rip your clothes off," asked Hermione.

Cobra laughed. "That is one of the reasons why Salamander had burned your clothes off," replied the Poison Dragon Slayer.

The young woman in the bed glanced at the blonde. Lucy sighed, "I guess there is a lot of things for you to catch up on." She waved towards the maroon haired male that was in the room. "His name is Cobra…"

"Erik," he corrected. "My real name is Erik."

The blonde growled, as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Erik...is what our would call a Poison Dragon Slayer."

"A dragon slayer," asked Hermione with a thoughtful look. "As...to kill dragons?"

"To put it simply, yes," answered Cobra. "Unlike normal mages, we each have an element that we have our dragon slaying abilities from. For instance, since I'm a poison element, I can eat all kinds of poisons...even bleach."

"Fascinating," Hermione stated dryly. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, groaning. "Ah, I'm not not liking this pain." She took a deep breath, placing her hands on her ribs. "How in the hell did I get hurt?"

Lucy gave a slight smile. "It's a good thing I brought you back home." Her eyes shone with warmth. "Or you could find yourself dead or something." Hearing her tone become a hint of a chill to it, seeing as Hermione shivered before her eyes.

Hermione fell back against the headboard with a massive sigh. "Well...I guess there is that," she stated with hollowness in her voice. After awhile of whatever was running through her head. Her focus was back to Lucy. "So, why did you call me?"

"My magic is about to destroy this world, Hermione!"

The other worldly woman gave a slight glare. "Can you explain that to me, without so little information?"

Lucy grumbled, but managed to calm herself down. "There are some bad people out there that had found an artifact that deals with Celestial magic. They're looking for a key that would get them to that artifact that would cause the end of the world…"

"Do you even know what this artifact is or what else it does?"

"We found," Lucy glanced away shyly. "That the artifact is made of silver and gold, a flute that was once made to bring light into this world. A light that also had brought life. Life that also brought the first...of everything to the world."

Hermione nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. "Who...used this life of the world flute?"

"The gods..." Lucy didn't know if Hermione would listen to her about any of it. There were many things that were written about legends that many of them didn't make sense.

"Other than you," stated Hermione, as she opened her eyes. "Who else is going after this flute? I can only imagine that many are going along on this...adventure."

Lucy nodded, "You would be right. But you need you're rest, Hermione. There is no reason for you to hurry up and get more hurt."

"Wrong," the brown-haired woman stated harshly. "If it's important for you to call me HERE! Then it's important for me to get out of this BED and find this flute. Now...when do we leave?"

The door opened to the built-in hospital room. Showing many people standing around the door. A massive blonde-haired male gave a smirk. "We leave at first light," stated Laxus before glancing towards Lucy. "I agree with your cousin, Blondie. It's better to go and find it, then wait around for it to cause issues later."

"That wasn't the point, Laxus and you know it!" She waved her hand towards the woman in bed. "She's still healing!"

Cobra spoke up, "I can carry her, while she heals, Bright Eyes. That way, we can still head out. And I can only imagine that Pip Squeak here," he pointed towards Wendy. "...will be coming with us anyway."

"Yep," answered the young Dragon Slayer. "You're healing nicely, but want to keep on a few of your wounds. Especially the one on your arm."

Hermione turned towards the area of which the young...lady was talking about. The carved word that forever labeled her of what she was. A blood status that she had no control of being. All because her parents were muggles. Images flashed through her head, it was enough to where she heard Cobra growling near her.

"What's wrong," asked Lucy with worry in her voice.

"Images of her war," answered Cobra with deep hatred in his voice. "Believe me sweetheart," he looked into Hermione's eyes. "If I knew them...I would kill them for you."

Hermione didn't know if she should be happy to hear those word. Or feel sick, knowing that there was someone who would do something against those that hurt her. She just didn't know how to feel. Except to scoot back down the bed and lay down. Allowing sleep to overtake her. Knowing that she would have a long night of nightmares to face...sooner or later.

"Come on everyone," stated Laxus at the door. "Let the girl sleep. Something tells me, she may not get much of it."

"I'll stay with her," growled Cobra in low tones. "I don't want her to be alone." From that moment everyone agreed. Hermione shouldn't be alone.

As Lucy walked away from the hospital room. One of the few thoughts that were rushing within her head. ' _Have I done the right thing? By ripping her away from her friends...when they needed her too?'_ She had hoped that in the end, she had done what was right.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: sorry I haven't written in a while. Been busy with summer stuff.

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 15

Hermione Granger gave up sleeping after a couple of nightmares that had woken her up, from a dead sleep. Even with Erik in the room, she still didn't find much comfort. Even though he had tried to help, but she didn't know him well enough to count. His crude jokes or stories, weren't enough to help.

She sat up in the hospital bed, glaring at the marron-haired male. He wouldn't leave her alone. Even when she had yelled at him to leave. Telling him that he wasn't going to be much help for her. But he wouldn't budge.

His purple eye was fixed on her. Making her believe that she may disappear from his sight. "You might as well could be," stated the man before her.

"Why do you say that," she asked him.

"Well," he gave her a thoughtful look. "You did show up out of nowhere, after the Heartfilia's had chanted for you to come and all…"

Hermione couldn't fault in for thinking that. ' _But Harry still needs my help. Who else could be the Brains of the Golden Trio?'_ She could only imagine that the second Wizarding War was going down hill without her aid. ' _If only I could find out...how the war had ended.'_

The man within the room sighed. "Oh princess, your old world will be just fine." His lips pulled to show his genuine smile. "From what I've heard, your war was nearly over by the time you were sent here." He gave a thoughtful look towards her for a moment. "The snake faced man was...running out of energy by the time you came here…"

Hermione couldn't help but closed her eyes. She was grateful in hearing that information. She could live with that knowledge. Knowing that Harry didn't need her after hearing that. Since Voldemort would be finished,. She could focus on helping Lucy with her issues.

"So...what now," she asked. Surprising herself that her lips were moving for her. It was a rare for something like to happen to her. "Where do we go from here?"

"You know princess," Erik gave a slight smirk. "I can read souls and all, but you're all over the place at the moment. You're going to have to help me with your thought process…"

Hermione took a deep breath. She couldn't fault him from wanting a clear answer. She really wanted clear answers herself. But trying to find the right question to even ask that was a bit hard for her. Then again, he did clear something up for her.

"Mates," her voice carried off with the word. "Is that like...soulmates?"

Erik closed his eye for a moment before focusing his purple eye on her. "To be honest, I'm still a bit new about all the information dealing with Dragon Slayers. You see; when I was younger, someone had forced a crystal into my body. Giving me the powers of a Dragon Slayer. I was never thought to be one by a dragon."

He shook his head, he waved his hand towards the closed-door. "Pipsqueak, the little healer was raised by one. As well as, a couple of others that are apart of the guild. Most of my new-found education has been what I've heard from them. And there is no written word about Dragon Slayers, other than how they had gotten their magic."

"So," she took a deep breath. "You have no idea?"

"I didn't say that," stated Erik with a slight growl to his voice. "But from what I've been able to understand… I would have to guess that soulmates... Is as close to what you're looking for in understanding what's going on."

He took a deep breath. "It also means...I won't be able to live without you...in my life. You see; a Dragon Slayer could harness their magic better, once they had…"

He glanced away, as his cheeks began to blush. "...started having...relations with their mate."

Hermione couldn't help but answer his blush with her own. She had gotten the picture of what he was...implying at least. "And...if you don't...find your mate?"

"We...would become dragons," his voice became deep. Making her believe that Erik was becoming uncomfortable. "In essence, we would become monsters. Losing the sense of human selves because of the magic we wield. We could become a humanoid version of a dragon, but able to turn back to a human. If only, if we have a mate to help us back to our former selves."

Hermione, for the first time in many years. Since walking through the doors of the Wizarding World. She was speechless. She could understand the reason for Erik and the other Dragon Slayers to want to have a mate. But it was another for being a mate to one of them. ' _I'm not ready for a rushed relationship.'_

Erik smile kindly towards Hermione. "Don't worry, princess. I'm not asking for a relationship...at least not until we know each other that is." He had gotten upon his feet and started pacing the room. "Before coming here...I was a bad man."

Hermione moved on the bed to where she was able to sit up straight. She knew she needed to hear him out. She had gotten the impression that Erik wouldn't normally open up to people like this.

"You're right, I don't," he answered her unasked question. "You see," he took a deep breath. "Me and some friends of mine...had attacked Lucy and her friends...more than once." When he turned towards her to see her, when he hadn't heard anything from her, not even a thought. He saw that she tilted her head in question. "The first time was because we were under the ruling of a madman, he wanted to rule the world in chaos. We didn't care, since we had grown up as slaves…"

Hermione hummed for a moment. "I guess I can't fault you in that. I mean, in all the history that I've read about similar issues. The oppressed will find a way to fight back. Even following under those that are unstable in the head…"

Erik could only nod, being thankful that she was understanding him. "So, under his rule...we had ended up facing against her and her friends. The other time, I was listening to my friend and went along with his plans. Believing that some magical clock could fix things...but she fought back."

Hermione couldn't help the smile that graced her lips. She could only imagine that Lucy would use her brain... In ways that even Hermione couldn't understand… To stop someone like Erik, who looked like he could be... A worthy appoint for anyone.

"Damn right, I am." He stopped before her, with a smirk that looked way to good on his face. She had seen many 'smiles' upon his face and only could agree that a smirk had looked better. He looked...predatory if that was the right word for it.

"Oh it is, sweetheart," his voice purred.

Making her quiver at where she sat. It was when she realized something. "You can hear me?"

"Just to make it clear. I can hear souls...not minds, like most people would like you to think." His purple eyes looked into her eyes, showing that he could read her soul. "Like for an example...I hear your soul." He took a deep breath. "All I've heard...is a violin. Nothing else...just a small calming tune."

Hermione gave him a dumbfounded look. She could only imagine the song that he was hearing. Something that she would hear...from long lost memory. She had sworn that she had heard it as a little girl, back when she believed her father had played. But for the life of her, she didn't know the name of the song. She came close to finding out the song, but it was a bit off from what she remembered.

"Is there a way for someone to get Lucy? I should try to talk to her a bit more." She glanced down at her hands. "I kinda feel sorry for yelling at her…"

"No you don't," answered Cobra with a deep sounding chuckle. "You need to be honest with yourself. You're not sorry for yelling at her, just feel bad that you had to."

Hermione huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine! You're right, I don't really feel bad about yelling at her." She closed her eyes for a moment. "I guess I don't do well with the whole...saving the world thing."

"No," he agreed. "No you're not. From what images I had gotten about your friend Harry. You tried to give him a normal life, by being his friend. Well...at least you tried."

' _Now I wish I had snuck down to Professor Snape's office, whenever Harry had to study under him. Maybe I would be able to block him from reading my soul…'_ She remembered how her best friend would come back to the common room. Seeing him rugged and stressed out, not being able to keep the potions master out of his head.

"To answer your question about your cousin…" He glanced to one of the walls. "It sounds like she is on her way here. I'll go down in a few minutes and get her for ya."

"Thanks." Hermione didn't know what else to say to the dragon slayer next to her. She knew that they were...together. But...she was having a hard time believing such things. She blame the lack of knowledge when it came to having a relationship.

After what felt like time had slowed too much for Hermione to wait any longer. Cobra had gotten up onto his feet and left the room. Knowing that he was on his way to get Lucy. After a few minutes of waiting the door opened again. Hermione saw Lucy walking in, with a sad look written all over her face.

' _I caused this, I didn't mean to do this to Lucy. I was in pain and I lashed out at the only person that was family.'_ Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. "Lucy…"

"Don't Hermione, I know that whatever was going on in your world. You wanted to be apart of it and I took you away from it." Her brown eyes shown as much sadness as her face had shown. "But I won't say sorry that I had saved your life, Hermione. Knowing you, you would have gotten yourself killed just for a friend."

The other worldly woman gave a small smile. "You're right, I would have. But give me a straight answer, why am I truly here?"

"I told you, Earthland is about to be destroyed by a Celestial artifact. We need to find it, before it falls into the wrong hands." Lucy gave Hermione her serious look, letting her know that there was no room for argument.

"What kind of artifact," asked Hermione with a deep sounding sigh.

"A flute, the very one that made all creation," stated Lucy with hollowness in her voice.

"That flute," asked Hermione with worry in her eyes. "The very one that could make or destroy worlds…" She gulped as information flashed through her mind. Things that she had once read. "The one that was made by the fires of Draco?"

Lucy gave Hermione a thoughtful look. "I didn't see that written anywhere and we've looked! How did you know about that piece of information?"

"Come," sated Hermione, as she was trying to get out of the bed. "We need to see your team." She started to stumble, until Lucy had gotten under one of Hermione's arms. "We don't have much...time."

"Hermione, what's going on?!" Lucy's outburst had caused the door to fly open and few people came rushing in.

"What's going on in here," as a man in minted hair came rushing towards Lucy. "Cobra said for you to talk to her, not yell at her, Lucy."

"Freed," she turned towards him. Even with one of her arms still around Hermione. "She told me something new about the flute that isn't written anywhere else!"

This caused many within the room to turn towards the brown-haired woman. She took a deep breath. "I didn't read it anywhere, Lucy. It was from Aunt Layla, your mother. She told me about that legend of the flute, the one that was made from Draco's fire."

"The Celestial dragon," asked Lucy.

"Not just that," stated the young blue-haired girl in her squeaky voice. "He was also the first dragon. The father of all dragon kind."

Cobra grumbled, "Just great! That's all we need, more dragons to deal with. It wasn't enough that we had to face those seven dragons after your GM Games!" His eyes focused on Lucy, "The night your future self died!"

"Died," cried Hermione as she rounded towards her cousin. "You...died…?"

"Not me," she shook her head. "A possibility if our future was to become as it would have. And before you lecture me about not facing herself, while traveling into the past. I think my future self-sacrifice herself...so many others could live."

"I...that must have been hard to see," stated Hermione with some warmth in her voice.

"It was..." Lucy allowed a few tears from her eyes. "I think it was the repeated nightmare that I had...at least for a few months."

A big massive man with blonde hair grumbled, "I hate to break history here. But what does Draco; the first dragon, have anything to do with this flute?"

"Simply that it can't be broken." Hermione looked heartbroken as she spoke of what she knew. "At least...not without dragon's fire!"

"Well, at least we have two people who can help with that one," smirked the blonde.

"How is that," stated Hermione with a glare.

Lucy closed her eyes, "This is Laxus...he is a Lightning Dragon Slayer. While one of my friends, downstairs. Natsu...he is a Fire Dragon Slayer." She grumbled darkly. "Which means...he's going to have to travel with us."

"Why don't we have all the Dragon Slayers on this one," stated the short man in the room. Which Hermione hadn't noticed him entering. Then again, he was too short for her to notice before. "Since you're up, why don't you come downstairs and meet the guild," he turned towards Hermione.

She turned towards Lucy with worry in her eyes. "Don't worry, you'll fall in love with Fairy Tale. I know I have…" A smile graced the blonde cousin's lips.

"Okay," whispered Hermione, but it was enough to be heard by everyone in the room. With the help of Cobra, he helped her out of the room and down the stairs to the bar. Where she was placed on one of the stools, facing the masses of the guild. She never liked being in front of people, it always made her feel uneasy.

' _Is this how Harry felt, when he was faced with so many people,'_ she asked herself. ' _No wonder, when I first started the DA. He acted the way I'm feeling now. Wanting nothing more than run and hide…'_

Cobra leaned into her, giving her a knowing look. Stating that he heard her. While he was leading her some strength that she had never seeked out from another person before. Something always prevented her from doing so.

The man next to her, leaned into her to where his lips barely touched her ear. But was able to hear him just fine. "Your soul knows the answers of what you're looking for, sweetheart."

She pulled away from him, only to glare at him. Hermione may know the answers to what was preventing her from seeking strength before. She was just not willing to answer those that moment. Not when her cousin needed her the most.

"I need an iced cold coffee with chocolate and caramel, please," Hermione spoke with sorrow in her voice. Knowing she hated to educate people. Thanks to Ron and Harry, not liking to listen to her when she found something interesting.

A white-haired woman behind the bar gave a cheerful smile. "Right up," she turned and made the drink for Hermione. When she came back, she handed it to her. "There you go…"

Hermione gave her a pained smile. She almost felt like she was near Luna Lovegood again, especially after the kind of smile that was given to her.

The short man came upon the bar and gave a smile. "I'm Makarov Dryer, the master of Fairy Tail." He pointed to the white-haired woman behind the bar. "Mirajane, our beloved barmaid."

"Please call me, Mira." Her bubbly voice called out. "Are you joining the guild?"

"I…"

"She sure is," stated Lucy with warmth in her voice. "My cousin, Hermione Granger doesn't back down from anything new!" She giggled as Hermione felt her eyes glaring at the blonde.

"Do I really need to zap you again, Lucy," Hermione asked in her sweet to goodness voice. Causing Cobra to chuckle next to her. Hermione flickered the poison slayer's forehead for a moment. Before turning towards the barmaid. "I guess I am…"

Mira smiled before fishing something out from behind the bar. "Well, where would you like your stamp and what color?"

Hermione took a deep breath before glancing around the guild. She pulled back her sleeve of her arm. Showing the cursed word and brought it upon the bar. "Upon the word please...and periwinkle please."

Mira gaped after seeing the carved word for a moment before doing as she was told. But once the stamp was placed on her skin. The cursed word disappeared from everyone's sight. Causing everyone to gasped at the new-found knowledge.

"What just happened," gaped Mira as she couldn't believe her eyes.

The short man chuckled, "That is something that Mavis, our founder of our guild had done. Something about someone had once been cursed. Could find a new beginning when joining our guild…"

Hermione couldn't help but having a warm heartfelt smile that graced her lips. Ever since being brought into Lucy's world. She never thought she would ever find herself happy. Knowing that she had left her friends to face the war on their own. But she couldn't stop her lips from forming her smile. She was free...free from the word that had once had defined her.

"No," Cobra shook his head. "You were simply labeled by those that didn't understand. How could someone who came from no magic, could ever overpower them." Hermione's head popped up to look into his eyes, letting her know that he met every word. "They were afraid of what you could do, sweetheart."

"What are you talking about," asked Lucy. As her eyes looked from Hermione and Cobra. "I know you can listen to souls and all, Cobra. But you're scaring me...she's my cousin!"

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment before looking up to Lucy's. "He's talking about...witches and wizards from where I came from. Those who looked for power...from those who were born from those that had it before them. Calling themselves purebloods…"

"The word that you had on your arm," asked Mira with horror on her face.

"A term for those who have no magical family… A label for those to put them in there place… In the mud, where they believe where I belong."

"Wrong," growled out not just Cobra, but others in the room as well. "You are above that. I know this, not just listening to your soul but what I see before my very eyes. A lioness that is worth...more jewels than the world should ever hold."

Hermione grinned, her eyes flashed with something. That even Lucy had hard time reading. "Are you saying that I'm worth more than gold…?"

"Gods, yes," purred Cobra. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. His purple eyes sparkling with his hidden knowledge. "You will believe it, while we're out on our mission…"

"Mission," cried out a hyper sounding voice. As a guy with pink wild hair came rushing towards the bar, with his own arm around Lucy with a big cheesing grin. "What mission?"

Lucy pushed the pink-haired man away from her, glaring at him with heat. "Natsu!" She shook her head. "Don't you remember Lullaby," she asked him.

"Yeah," he nodded his head. "We destroyed that thing ages ago." His eyebrow raised after a moment. "Why do you ask?"

"We have another flute to destroy…" Her eyes glanced down towards the floor. "Made out of the fires of Draco…"

"Draco," Natsu tilt his head to the side. Showing that he was thinking. "As the first dragon, Draco?"

"Apparently," answered Lucy with a growl of her own. "The flute that he helped made, can create or destroy...meaning we need to find it and destroy it. Before those that are seeking it, get it first."

Natsu grumbled softly, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm not going to be the only Dragon Slayer on this job?" He pouted, knowing that he was right in believing that.

"Do you have a problem with that, Fire-Brain," asked Laxus with his massive build. Glaring towards Natsu.

"Yeah, maybe I do," replied the pink-haired man in a huff. "I wanted to do a job with Lucy, ever since she hooked up with your minted friend."

Hermione glanced towards Lucy, who had a blush dusting her cheeks. She then turned towards Freed with a raised eyebrows for a moment. Also noticing his blush. She didn't know what to do, but to take a drink out of her iced coffee.

"What's wrong, sweetheart," asked Cobra, seeing her looking lost.

"I feel like I've missed something." Hermione turned towards the man beside her. Her brown eyes seemed to be asking for her.

Cobra chuckled, "What Salamander is saying. Is that your sweet cousin has hooked up with someone that he didn't see coming. A rune powered darkness…" He pointed towards Freed. "Your cousin is his mate."

"Mate," she asked with raised eyebrows. "How many Dragon Slayers, Werewolves, or whatnot does this guild have?!"

"Werewolves," everyone asked. Not knowing what was going on.

Makarov chuckled from his spot on the bar. "Not those sets of groups need to have mates, child. But those who wield magic beyond our capable brains could ever keep up." He shook his head. "No, even someone who wields darkness of magic needs a partner in light to balance such things in life. Otherwise, they would be lost within their magic and become something... Beyond their nightmares."

A thought came across Hermione at that moment. ' _Was that what Tom Riddle lacked, a light partner to balance his darkness?'_ She have a slight nod. ' _It would explain all his need for power and pain… Is that why he kept going after Harry. Because he is too much light for Tom's darkness?'_

The elder man stroke his chin for a moment as he glanced around the guild. "No one could ever understand the makings of magic. But there has always been a sense of balance…"

Lucy smiled softly, "Well whatever it is, I'm glad." She walked over towards Freed, wrapped her arms around his waist, as his own arms wrapped around her. "Because it brought me closer to you…"

Freed gave a soft chuckle, before he kissed her temple. "Likewise," he stated with a soft dark tone of his voice. He glanced around the guild. "I think we should start planning our journey...for this flute."

Erza stepped forward with a harsh look in her eyes. "Who says you're coming with…"

"Enough," cried out the master of the guild. "Wherever Lucy goes, so does Laxus' team, Erza! Do you really think that Freed would step aside, knowing that Lucy may need him…?"

"No," grumbled the scarlet-haired woman. Glancing away with sorrow in her eyes. "I guess not…"

"Good, because Lucy will need anyone who is willing to save our world…"


	16. Chapter 16

Her Faithful Shadow

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 16

After a long hours of debate throughout the guild. Everyone agreed that they may be needed for either getting and destroying the flute. Or taking out those that are trying to seek the flute itself. Lucy had voiced that her time with Cobra's old team had taught her that she would enlist anyone who was willing to help. Not really knowing the numbers behind those that want the flute.

It was then that Hermione had learned that Cobra was never a...good man. He had followed a group of people that he had known all of his life. From his time with a cursed tower, then from there, they followed a madman that wanted to rule the world.

"I had even wanted to rule the world, because I was tired of the rich bitches dictating how we should live. I was even angered to find that a lot of food goes to waist…" Cobra closed his eyes for a moment. "After facing Fairy Tail a couple of times, I had kinda wished I had met them...after the tower…"

Hermione knew that he spoke the truth about what Cobra had told her. "Erik," her voice had called to him softly. "As long as you know better...your past doesn't define you of who you are… It only speaks volumes of what you overcame…oof."

Cobra had given her a heated kiss after she had told him those words. Her breath was taken away from her. As his lips grazing hers. Feeling his fingernails raking through her hair. Trying to keep her close to him.

Once he was done kissing the living daylights out of her. She saw what she could only imagine was rare. Him smiling. A warm feeling came across her at that moment. Making her realise that he had been waiting for a long time for someone to say those words to him. She was only too happy to have done so.

"Am I...disturbing you two," asked a cheerful sounding voice. Causing the two to turn towards the voice. Only to see a brightest smile that they could see from the blonde with bright brown eyes.

"No," Hermione pushed herself away from Cobra. Only to cause the man to fall to the floor. Chuckling as he couldn't control himself. "Just you imagining things...Lucy."

"Sure," she giggled. "We'll just go with that for a while." She then turned towards Cobra with a worried look in her eyes before she looked to Hermione again. "We should come up with a plan of where you're going to stay. Until we leave in the morning…"

"Easy," stated the voice on the floor. Seeing the twisted smile of his. "Your man has other rooms in his house doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Lucy felt uneasy for even answering like that. Since she only had lived in the house for a short amount of time as it was. She didn't know if she could invite even her cousin to live there with them.

"We could always ask Minty about her crashing there...and I'll be there too. Since I will be your cousin's legs for a while."

' _Merlin please...did he really say that he's going to be my legs. Especially with that smirk of his…?'_ Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. Not understanding the feeling of a slight chillness that was crawling over her body.

Lucy looked towards Hermione. "When do you think you can walk again?"

The battle warned woman huffed. "Like I even know the answer to that at the moment," she grumbled statistically. With a few thoughtful minutes. "If I can get to wherever we're going. I can look into my bag...then see if I can heal myself…"

Cobra huffed, "I wanted to be your legs," he whined out. He then pulled himself off the floor.

Hermione couldn't help but blush at the man's statement. It was then she took a real look at Cobra. To see his indigo eye. That seemed to look into her very soul.

After a moment of her spacing out. As her eyes and brain worked two different ways on her. She was shaken out of her thoughts. When the man with long minty green hair came over to them.

The man had taken a deep breath. "It has come to my realization… That you're going to need a place to stay." Then his eyes turned towards Cobra. "Let me guess...you want to come too?"

"That's right, Minty."

Lucy glared, "Erik, play nice. Freed is only doing this so we can all sleep tonight!"

Freed nodded, "That is hopefully the plan. Since we have a long journey ahead of us." His own eye glaring towards the man next to Hermione. "But I won't have you sleeping next to Miss. Hermione," he glared at the poison slayer.

Cobra glared before allowing him to sigh. "Deal," he grumbled. Before he turned and picked up the very woman into his arms. "Uph," sounded from Hermione. As Cobra glared at the man. "So… Let's get the move on, while we're still young!"

Freed huffed before turning towards the guild doors. "Do keep up," he sassed out. Making Lucy giggle before following right after him.

Cobra just grumbled, but trying to keep Hermione in his arms. "Would you stop wiggling, Librarian!"

Hermione could only glare at him. "I'm not helpless you know," she huffed out. Then she raised her eyebrow at him. "Librarian?"

"Yeah," he grumbled. "You smell like old books and ink…"

"Smell," she asked in a surprised tone. Before bringing her hands up to her nose. Not smelling anything that he was talking about.

He chuckled as he shook his head. While keeping Freed and Lucy in his sights. "Isn't not in your hands." His smirk pulled back as he saw her deep brown eyes focus on to him. "It goes deeper than that… I'm a dragon slayer, our senses go deeper than any normal humans could."

"So," she turned to look at him. Her eyes slightly closing trying to think of something. "You're like a bloodhound then?"

Lucy turned around at that moment with a cheeky smile. "They are much better than that, Hermione." She saw understanding and fear in her cousin's eyes. "You'll get use to it, once you're around them long enough."

Hermione's thoughts were running away from her. Allowing Cobra to see two different dragons within her deep thoughts. ' _No wonder the one chased Harry… Because it could smell him. Then the one at the bank… Before we had rode it to safety.'_

"What the HELL," cried Cobra as he looked at her dumbfounded. "You rode a dragon?!"

It caused Lucy to turn towards the two with a worried look in her eyes. "WHAT?!"

"Yeah," spoke Hermione softly. "I may have ridden a blind dragon...before escaping a bank..."

It caused everyone to stop in their tracks to look at the other worldly woman. "No one...has written a dragon in many years… Only person that has, was Natsu."

Freed nodded, "Even before that, most of the First Generation Dragon Slayers have…" He looked towards Hermione with a new appreciation of some kind of hidden knowledge. That he wish to know.

A blush formed on Hermione's cheeks. Trying to hide away from everyone's stares. Only to know how fruitle it was. "It was...nothing special." As memories of her friends rushed into her head.

Cobra grumbled harshly. "I don't know what your so call friends told you. Without you, they could have been dead. Several times from the looks of things from your soul."

"What the BLOODY HELL," she shrieked at him. "How can you…?"

Lucy huffed, as she turned indicating for them to keep moving. "It's part of his magic," she turned to glare at the poison slayer. "He can hear your soul…"

As Hermione was lost within her thoughts. Trying to come up of ways to block him from listening to her. Only to get a deep predator sounding chuckle for her effort. Within moments they were at a nice looking Victorian house with white picket fence around it.

Once inside, for the first time in Hermione's life. Her brain went blank. She couldn't imagine to be in a place like she was. The man that she learned to be Freed Justine had impeccable taste. Enough to realize what kind of home she always wanted. But found that she may never have. Not if she was still back where she came from.

"What's wrong Librarian, lost the will of your mind," Cobra chuckled. Trying to keep a hold of her, while he laughed.

Lucy turned to them with a worried look. "What do you mean?" Her voice coming out harsh and demanding.

Freed looked at the two. "It may be the fact that it's late. She may have not had enough rest if we're to be honest." He turned to Lucy. "Do you think it was wise to take her away from her own battles?"

Lucy huffed. "Call me selfish or whatnot. But since we're looking for a flute that we had no idea about. I wanted whatever help I can get."

She turned towards Hermione, whom pulled herself out of Cobra's arms. Where she could lean against them. "Well...next time ask," Hermione hissed out. With her eyes flashed with fire within. "My friends needed me… My world...needed me."

Lucy sighed, "I don't care how many times I going to have to say sorry. Even if I don't mean it, Hermione. But...if the world was going to die. I wanted my cousin next to me," she drilled out softly.

Hermione nodded, allowing a small smile. "And I wouldn't have any other way," she spoke softly. She looked towards the minted-haired man with a kind smile. "Where can I go to wash up and rest?"

Freed bowed at the neck. "Follow me…" He then turned and ushered everyone up the stairs. Where he pointed towards a bedroom towards the other end of the house from his own room. "You'll be here… There are towels in the ensuite bathroom…"

He gave a glare towards Cobra. Who raised his hands up. "Don't worry, Minty. I'm going to sleep in the hallway."

Freed glanced towards Hermione. Who looked uneasy of something like that. "Why would you want to, Cobra?"

He gave a deep glare. "If you haven't noticed. She is just healing...she may need help in the middle of the night." Shrugging his shoulders, trying to come up with other reasons.

"Fine," Freed stated before moving down the hall with Lucy at his side.

Hermione pushed the pain down within her. Not wanted to depend on anyone. She two best friends that nearly got her killed for the past seven years. She wasn't going to have others to do the same to her. So she limped into the bedroom.

Cobra gave a deep sigh. "Do you want any help, darling," he asked as kindly as he could.

Hermione turned as she grabbed the door. "No. But thank you," just as she closed the door. Not caring about anything else at that moment. "What the Bloody Hell," she whispered softly to herself. "I never been chased before...but I swear. Dragon wouldn't even touch the image I have of him."

She shivered before limping her way towards the bathroom. As she was going to enjoy a long overdue of a bath. That she desperately needed at that moment.


End file.
